Nearly 1,400 Arizona third-graders to be held back after poor tests
PHOENIX — Nearly 1,400 Arizona third-graders will not be joining their classmates in making the jump to fourth grade after performing poorly on a state test.
The Arizona Department of Education said the third-graders did not pass the math and English portions of the Arizona’s Measurement of Educational Readiness to Inform Teaching — AzMERIT — test.
More than 60 percent of students failed at least part of the test, according to preliminary results released by the department late last month.
“The good news is that we’re seeing slight improvements across almost every grade in Math, except in grade eight,” Erin Hart, COO of Expect More Arizona, said when the preliminary results were released.
Sally Stewart with the department said it’s important parents get kids the help they need if they did not pass.
“Anything that the school district can provide,” she said. “It will be up to the local school district to see what they can do, to help those students.”
It’s not clear what – if any – effect the holding back of students will have on classrooms sizes.
KTAR’s Kathy Cline and Corbin Carson contributed to this report.
