Local Education Agencies - As introduced, allows a third grade student who achieves a performance level rating of "approaching" on the English language arts portion of the student's most recent Tennessee comprehensive assessment program test, and who has earned an overall letter grade of A or B in the student's third grade ELA class, to be promoted to fourth grade if promotion is recommended by a majority of the categories of participants in a conference convened by the student's LEA or public charter school; requires a student promoted to fourth grade through such process to receive tutoring services for the entirety of the student's fourth grade year. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Ron Travis

Tennessee bill permits third-graders scoring below proficient on state ELA test to advance to fourth grade with A-B classroom grades and mandatory tutoring if school conference approves.

Assigned to s/c K-12 Subcommittee

#localeducationagencies

Legislative bill overview

HB 707 creates an alternative promotion pathway for third-grade students in Tennessee who score "approaching" (below proficient) on the English Language Arts portion of the state assessment but maintain A or B grades in their ELA class. Students can be promoted to fourth grade if a majority vote at a school conference approves it, contingent on receiving mandatory tutoring throughout fourth grade.

Why is this important

This bill directly affects grade retention policy, which has significant long-term consequences for student outcomes including graduation rates, self-esteem, and academic trajectory. The policy attempts to balance standardized test performance against classroom performance, raising questions about how schools should identify students ready to advance and what support mechanisms actually work.

Potential points of contention

Standardized testing vs. teacher judgment: The bill prioritizes classroom grades over state assessment scores, which some argue undermines the purpose of standardized benchmarks while others see as trusting educator expertise

Tutoring resource requirements: Mandating full-year tutoring for all promoted students creates budget and staffing obligations for LEAs without specified funding mechanisms or tutoring quality standards

Inconsistent promotion standards: Different students could advance under different criteria depending on conference composition and majority votes, potentially creating equity issues across districts or schools

Limited evidence base: The bill doesn't reference research on whether this specific intervention (A/B grades + tutoring) effectively supports students who struggle with state assessments