School districts in Middle Tennessee saw overall improvement in their standardized test results, but scores for many marginalized students declined.
The Tennessee Department of Education released data this week that breaks down how students in different districts performed on the 2026 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program. State officials touted improvement, with results showing that in 118 districts proficiency rates for all subjects increased over the last two years. A “proficient” score means a student is on track for college and career success.
“These district-level results showcase the commitment and hard work of Tennessee districts and educators in preparing students for success,” said Lizzette Reynolds, commissioner of education. “By leveraging this data to guide decisions and strategic investments, Tennessee is prepared for the work that lies ahead.”
More: A deep dive into the history of the test that threatens to hold back so many Tennessee third graders
County insights
Williamson County comes out on top with the highest proficiency rate for all subjects at 73.9%.
Still, in Williamson — like many neighboring districts — these wins didn’t always extend to marginalized students. While students of all ethnicities tested at least somewhat better than they did in previous years, those from low-income families experienced a decline in their test scores, with proficiency rates falling from 38.7% to 33.9%.
In Cheatham County, test scores for economically disadvantaged students, English learners and Black and Hispanic students declined. Students with disabilities experienced a drop in proficiency rates in Dickson County.
Rutherford and Wilson counties, however, saw students from all ethnic groups and social backgrounds increasing their scores over the last year.
Metro Nashville Public Schools saw similar gains, with only those identifying as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders seeing a decline in proficiency rates.
High stakes for TCAP
Students in grades 3 through 8 sit for the TCAP every spring, and the exam assesses their knowledge of subjects like English Language Arts, mathematics, social studies and science. For third-graders, however, the exam is especially high stakes as those who don’t perform well enough on the ELA portion of the exam can be held back or sent to summer school.
MNPS has a proficiency rate of 33% on the ELA section, and the number of elementary students that have “met expectations” in all subjects has steadily risen over the last five years.
These results come about a month after the state department of education released data showing that student achievement for Tennessee third graders reached its highest level in English Language Arts since 2017, while fourth graders made significant proficiency gains in mathematics.
“Tennessee’s strategic investments in education have led to promising progress for students in multiple subjects and grade levels,” said Gov. Bill Lee.
Families can access their students’ data on the TCAP family portal later this month.
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