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The Tennessee Department of Education wants a $30 million increase in summer learning funding next year, though education officials say schools need more flexibility to use the money throughout the school year for required tutoring rather than just summer learning camps.
Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds requested the funding increase on Thursday in the department’s budget hearing for the upcoming fiscal year.
Tennessee summer learning camps this year enrolled nearly 90,000 students, 25% of whom were rising fourth graders. School-based summer learning camps are one of several “promotion pathways” rising fourth graders can use to move on from third grade if they don’t hit the benchmarks required by the state’s third grade reading law.
“We’re seeing significant gains in proficiency” in the summer learning pathway, said Kristy Brown, the department’s chief academic officer.