TNReady testing scores mostly flat, but results dip in high school English

Tennessee elementary students improved in reading, but the third year of TNReady saw few other gains, according to data released by the state Department of Education on Thursday.

Overall, TNReady scores remained mostly flat for the 2017-18 school year. But there were several dips in the results, most notably in high school reading and English scores.

The scores come after another troubled year for the test. Many districts saw issues with the online portion and state lawmakers weighed in with a measure to ease the burden on students and school districts.

Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said the results are still worth reporting and analyzing. 

"We think though that this is data that folks can still learn much from and should consider as one of many factors when they are planning for the year ahead," McQueen said.

McQueen highlighted growth in early literacy and attributed it to an intense focus from the state and school districts.

Statewide, 35.7 percent of students tested proficient on the English language arts test in grades three through five. That's an increase from 33.9 percent the year before. 

But scores dipped at the middle school level. In the 2017-18 school year, 32.1 percent of students tested proficient. That's down from 33.5 percent the year before.

"We have to continue the shift we've made in early elementary literacy to the middle grades," McQueen said.

See how did your district did: Middle TN | Shelby County | Knox County 

What the high school scores show

The 2017-18 scores in high school mark some progress and some backslide. This is the third year the state has been able to test high school students under TNReady.

Student proficiency is considered "on track" or "mastered" on the test.

• In high school English, 29.4 percent of students were considered proficient in the subject, down from 34.6 percent in the 2016-17 school year.
• In high school math,  22.5 percent were proficient, up from 21.5 percent in the 2016-17 year. 
• For U.S. history, 27.8 percent of high school students scored proficient, down from 30.8 percent in the 2016-17 year.
• And in high school science, 45.3 percent scored as proficient,  down from 51 percent last year.

McQueen said the numbers show early literacy, while important for building a foundation for students, can't be the only strong focus for the state and districts.

"It can't stop at third grade," she said. "It has to continue and it has to be now."

What the grades 3-8 scores show

This was just the second year for elementary and middle school scores. The 2017-18 scores are:

• In English and language arts, 33.9 percent of students scored proficient, up from  33.7 percent in the 2016-17 year.
• In math, 37.3 percent of students scored proficient, down from 37.9 percent in the 2016-17 year.
• In science,  59.1 percent of students scored proficient, down from 61.2 percent in the 2016-17 year.

What the Achievement School District scores show

Scores for the state-run Achievement School District, which runs some of the lowest-performing schools in the state, also were included in Thursday's data release.

• In English and language arts in grades 3-8, just 8.2 percent of students scored proficient. That's a slight increase of about 1 percentage point over last year.
• In high school English, the district dipped 3 percentage points to 4.7 percent of students scoring proficient. 
• In math for grades 3-8, 9.2 percent of students were proficient. That's an increase of almost two points from last year.
• The district took a step back in high school science, with 4.6 percent of students scoring proficient, a drop of 4.7 percentage points from the year before.

McQueen said the ASD, which takes over schools and turns their operations over to charter networks in hopes of rapid improvement, saw slight increases that are encouraging. She and new ASD Superintendent Sharon Griffin have reviewed the results, McQueen said, and see areas of momentum that haven't happened previously.

"We are seeing some encouraging momentum shifts," she said.

Why do the tests matter?

TNReady is meant to measure the yearly progress of students. The state has specific requirements it measures through the test.

But the spring 2017-18 testing season was marked by troubles after the state's vendor made unauthorized changes to the TNReady's text-to-speech function, according to Tennessee Department of Education officials. The change caused statewide slowdowns.

As a result of the third straight year of problems, Tennessee lawmakers passed measures that lessen accountability this year. The scores could be used for teachers, districts and students only if it benefited them.

McQueen said a third-party analysis showed the technical issues had little effect on the results of the tests, but how motivated a student was to give their best can't be quantified.

"We have no idea how these scores were impacted by how motivated a student was to take it," she said.

The state Department of Education also announced changes after this year's problems, including searching for a new vendor. It also adjusted how fast it will phase-in online testing.

Test results in Tennessee are also used for a variety of purposes beyond grades and teacher evaluations. The law meant the education department needed to evaluate state performance in other ways. And state officials say they are still measuring student performance, just in a different way.

The Tennessee Education Association released a statement Thursday that said years of problems with TNReady have "destroyed the trust" of teachers, who in other years are evaluated on how their students perform.

"Teachers are not opposed to testing or evaluation," TEA President Beth Brown said in a statement. "We want a fair system that accurately measures student achievement and teacher performance."

What to know about the test:TNReady doesn't count, but here's what you can still learn about your school

The candidates on TNReady:How the state's gubernatorial candidates plan to fix the state's online test

Reach Jennifer Pignolet at jennifer.pignolet@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @JenPignolet.

Reach Jason Gonzales at jagonzales@tennessean.com and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales.