Students in Nashville will start taking the standardized TNReady exams this week. The state tests were cancelled last spring because of the pandemic.
The math and reading assessments are required for most of Tennessee’s one million public school students, but there are some important things to know about this year’s tests, according to education news site Chalkbeat Tennessee.
More: Five things to know as state testing begins for Tennessee students
All students — including those who’ve been attending school virtually — will have to take the tests in person. This year’s assessment is being given completely on paper, after several years of technical problems slowed Tennessee’s transition to computer-based exams.
State officials say this year’s tests are especially important to find out whether students are lagging because of a year of unprecedented disruptions to schooling. The results will be used for diagnostic purposes only, so the scores won’t affect students’ final grades. For that reason, there’s concern some families may skip the assessment.
But Nashville school officials remind everyone that state law does not allow students to opt out, and state officials say the results will be critical to help both parents and educators know where their students stand academically.
Nashville students are expected to wrap up their tests by mid-May. Because district calendars have varied widely this year, state officials have extended the testing window until early June across Tennessee.
WPLN’s Chas Sisk and Chalkbeat’s Marta Aldrich collaborated on this report.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM