Primer on Testing in Tennessee

Testing in Tennessee: A Primer for Parents Every state has a system for gauging student achievement. In Tennessee, it’s called the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, or TCAP. The TCAP Achievement Test – a criterion-referenced achievement test given in grades 3-8 – is given once per year in the spring.  It measures student achievement in math, reading/language arts, science, and social studies. The TCAP Achievement Test is a version of McGraw Hill’s Terra Nova examination, customized to Tennessee’s curriculum. The … Read More

Student Projection Reports

One of the best-kept secrets in Tennessee education is the availability of Student Projection Reports. These reports, available to parents and guardians, show how a student has performed on past achievement tests and how he or she can be expected to perform in the future. They can help you determine whether your child is on a path to success, or if you need to seek additional help before it’s too late. Where the Data Comes From The Tennessee Department … Read More

School Districts Ranked by Teacher Effectiveness

posted in: Data Scoreboards |

In Tennessee and a few other states, teacher effectiveness can be assessed on the basis of the student achievement gains of their students.  ECF has a chart that ranks school districts by the effectiveness of their teaching staff.  Selective teacher hiring and retention policies can produce a profile with a high proportion of exceptionally effective teachers. Although there are exceptions like the reports that were undertaken by the Los Angeles Times, value added performance data for individual teachers is rarely available to … Read More

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