Shining a light on education & government in TennesseeShining a light on education & government in TennesseeHow wide are proficiency gaps across race, income, and disability in Tennessee schools? Search by school, district, or county to see the data.
Achievement gaps are persistent differences in academic outcomes between student groups defined by race, family income, disability status, or English language proficiency. In Tennessee, these gaps are measured using TNReady assessment results and are a central focus of the state's education accountability system.
At approximately 35% statewide proficiency for all students, Tennessee faces significant room for improvement across the board. But the picture becomes far more concerning when broken down by subgroup: economically disadvantaged students typically score around 20% proficient, Black students around 15%, and students with disabilities near 10%.
Each metric in this tool captures a different dimension of educational equity. Here is what they measure and why they matter.
Overall proficiency rate across all tested students in the school, combining ELA and math assessment results.
Proficiency rate for students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, a widely used proxy for family income level.
Proficiency for students whose primary language is not English, reflecting both language acquisition and content mastery.
Proficiency for students receiving special education services under an IEP or 504 plan.
TVAAS growth scores measuring how much academic progress students make year-over-year, regardless of starting proficiency level.
An achievement gap is a persistent, statistically significant difference in academic performance between groups of students. In Tennessee, the most tracked gaps are between white and Black students, between economically disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students, and between students with and without disabilities.
Economically disadvantaged students consistently score 15-20 percentage points below their peers. Black students score roughly 20 points below white students in most districts. Students with disabilities face the widest gap, often scoring 25-30 points below the all-students average.
Proficiency rates represent the percentage of students scoring "on track" or "mastered" on Tennessee's TNReady assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Rates are reported separately for each subgroup and are suppressed when the group has fewer than 10 students to protect student privacy.
Research points to several high-impact strategies: high-dosage tutoring, extended learning time, culturally responsive instruction, reducing chronic absenteeism, and ensuring equitable access to experienced teachers. Tennessee's accountability system incentivizes gap closure by including subgroup performance in school letter grades.