Teachers Union Calls for Ending Annual Evaluations for Every Teacher, Even Though Its Own Poll Shows Most Oppose the Change
The recommendations come in advance of the final meeting of the Advisory Committee on Innovations in K-12 Education on Thursday.
Tennessee Education Subcommittee Chair Wants to Reduce Locally Mandated Tests and Build Better Career Pathways for Students
Representative Scott Cepicky tells the Tennessee Firefly he plans to introduce legislation next year to regulate local benchmarks and improve career pathways for students in high school and higher education.
Tennessee Lawmakers Discuss Tweaks to a Testing System Experts Say is Already Driving Student Improvement
The Advisory Committee on Innovations in K-12 Education will make recommendations for the General Assembly to consider next year on testing and other education issues.
Analysis of Tennessee’s Testing Data Finds Public Charter School Students Improving in Math and English
Statewide, three percent more charter students tested proficient in math on the TCAP than last year and English language arts proficiency grew by a single percentage point.
Study Finds Charter School Students Outperformed Their Peers Following the Pandemic
The research of Tennessee’s more than 100 public charter schools found these students consistently outperformed traditional school peers in math and English language arts following the pandemic.
As Lawmakers Convene Hearings on Potentially Reducing Testing and Teacher Evaluations, a New Poll Shows Republican Voters Overwhelmingly Support Preserving Both
TSS’ poll of 1,000 Republican voters found 86 percent consider it important for public school students to receive annual statewide assessments and 91 percent support holding teachers accountable for the success of their students.
Eight Tennessee Lawmakers Named to a New Committee That’s Studying Testing and Teacher Evaluation Reductions
The Advisory Committee on Innovations in K-12 Education will additionally discuss potential changes to the academic requirements for career and technical education (CTE) students, whether schools should have a minimum number of required instructional hours, and the licensure requirements for teachers.
Commentary on the 2025 TCAP Data: Our Compass for the Work Ahead
SCORE President & CEO David Mansouri unpacks five key data insights from the 2025 TCAP results, offering a look at the wins and persistent gaps while charting the course for our work ahead.
Tennessee Students Make Significant Academic Gains in 2024–25 TCAP Results
The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) released the 2024–25 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) results Tuesday afternoon, revealing year-over-year improvements in student proficiency across every tested subject and grade level.
This year’s legislative session attracted headlines for what didn’t pass but important changes did make it through to benefit students
Among the bills that did pass were multiple changes to help Tennessee’s public charter schools.
Lawmakers opt to study Tennessee’s testing and accountability system instead of weakening it
If approved by the Tennessee House, the bill will create a ten-member advisory committee that also studies the academic requirements for career and technical education students, whether schools should have a minimum number of required instructional hours, and the licensure requirements for teachers.
Lawmakers question the performance of public charter schools, even though the schools are outperforming traditional public schools in their district
State Representatives John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, and Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, both serve districts where multiple public charter schools are outperforming traditional public schools nearby. Still both lawmakers openly questioned the performance of those schools during debate over new charter legislation Monday morning in the House Government Operations Committee.
Potential compromise reached to study Tennessee’s testing and accountability system, instead of weakening it
Senator Lowe’s legislation would create a ten-member advisory committee appointed by state leaders to study the state’s testing and accountability systems.
Hamilton County School Board pushes to reduce the number of benchmark assessments despite their role improving student performance
During Thursday’s meeting, Board Chair Joe Smith asked Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson what the impact would be if the district reduced the number of benchmark tests given from three per year, to two or even one per year.
Lawmakers to consider reducing student testing and teacher evaluation requirements
Representative Cochran’s amendment would reduce elementary and middle school testing by continuing to require annual state ELA and math assessments but only requiring students to take science tests once in grades 3-5 and once in grades 6-8. Additionally, middle school students would only have to take state social studies assessments once, instead of each year.
Nearly half of Nashville public charter schools, including LEAD Cameron, are outperforming comparable district run schools
Firefly staff compared each MNPS charter school’s performance on the State Report Card to traditional and magnet schools serving the same age students in the same school cluster and 44 percent of those charters outperformed every comparable district run school in at least a majority of subjects.
End-of-course exams will now have less impact on high school students’ final grades
End-of-course exams for public high school students in Tennessee will now have less of an impact on students’ final grades, according to state education leaders.
Metro Nashville Public Schools officials celebrate milestone year for academic growth and graduation rates
Metro Nashville Public Schools reached several milestones in terms of academic growth and performance in the 2023-24 school year, according to recent data from the district.
New analysis finds Tennessee’s largest school districts underperforming math expectations
National education news organization the 74 found Tennessee’s largest school districts are achieving math proficiency at lower rates than expected based on poverty.
Department of Education says few students have been held back under retention law
New data from the Tennessee Department of Education indicates that about 40 percent of third graders in Tennessee achieved proficiency in English language arts on 2024 state tests.