Tennessee public school students continue to make gains in math, but in reading, the numbers are going in the wrong direction.
Scores released by the state on Thursday showed that every grade with standardized tests posted improvements in math.
But in elementary and middle school grades, overall reading scores slipped for a second year.
Fewer than half of students are considered proficient.
Part of the decline could be from requiring 16,000 special needs students to start taking the same standardized tests as everyone else this year. The other factor could be the continued influx of students who speak English as their second language.
“While there could be some level of that this year, we would say across the board our pattern is consistent. We do not have gains in literacy like we’re seeing in the other areas,” Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said.
McQueen says her department is looking at what could be done in the youngest grades to boost scores later on. She says the Common Core standards for reading, which are currently under review, may also need more attention than other subjects.
- Students made gains on all high school End of Course exams with the largest gains in Algebra II and Chemistry.
- All individual grades made gains in math. There are nearly 22,000 more students on grade level in math this year than in 2014.
- Compared to 2011, 131,000 more students are on grade level in math, and nearly 60,000 more students are on grade level in science.
- The number of students on grade level in Algebra II has almost doubled since 2011.
- Nearly 60,000 more students are on grade level in science compared to 2011.
- Black, Hispanic, and Native American and economically disadvantaged students narrowed achievement gaps in all high school subjects.
- Consistent with the department’s commitment to raising expectations for all students, nearly 16,000 Tennessee students transitioned from taking the MAAS, a modified assessment, to the regular TCAP.
- – See more at: http://www.tn.gov/education/topic/tcap-results-at-a-glance#sthash.LBjOkC89.dpuf
- Students made gains on all high school End of Course exams with the largest gains in Algebra II and Chemistry.
- All individual grades made gains in math. There are nearly 22,000 more students on grade level in math this year than in 2014.
- Compared to 2011, 131,000 more students are on grade level in math, and nearly 60,000 more students are on grade level in science.
- The number of students on grade level in Algebra II has almost doubled since 2011.
- Nearly 60,000 more students are on grade level in science compared to 2011.
- Black, Hispanic, and Native American and economically disadvantaged students narrowed achievement gaps in all high school subjects.
- Consistent with the department’s commitment to raising expectations for all students, nearly 16,000 Tennessee students transitioned from taking the MAAS, a modified assessment, to the regular TCAP.
- – See more at: http://www.tn.gov/education/topic/tcap-results-at-a-glance#sthash.LBjOkC89.dpuf
See more on the
statewide TCAP results here. District-level and school-level data will be released later this summer.
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