The report card on student academic performance in Tennessee is in. It shows gains in many areas, but also points out a long way to go in some fields of learning.
Tennessee's third- through eighth-graders still struggle with reading, according to the results of the 2013-2014 TCAP exams. Reading scores in those grade levels fell slightly. But those same students made progress in science, math and social studies, according to results released Wednesday by the Tennessee Department of Education.
High school students showed a marked improvement in certain areas of Algebra and English. Ninth- through 12th-graders in 70 percent of Tennessee's school districts demonstrated improvements in most subjects.
Minority students in both measured groups also closed some gaps in 2013 and 2014. Economically disadvantaged children and students learning the English language particularly struggled in Algebra, where data showed their performance lagged behind their classmates.
Knox County Schools Superintendent Jim McIntyre cautioned against reading too much into local TCAP scores.
“Our teachers have implemented Tennessee’s rigorous Common Core State Standards, while our children are still being assessed by a TCAP test that was not designed to measure learning under the new standards,” McIntyre said in a news release.
Academic performance among Knox County schools was described as essentially flat. McIntyre said TCAP tests need to be adjusted to better reflect what's taught in classrooms.
State education officials acknowledged the academic year that concluded in May was "a year of transition" as both students and teachers grappled with new curricula and standards. Tennessee is one of about 40 states that have signed on to the Common Core standards that have triggered a wave of controversy among both liberals and conservatives.