2015-16 State of Education in Tennessee | Page 46

important information about students’ academic performance and growth during a school year. Data from assessments allow parents and students to recognize when students are making progress and when students’ academic needs are not being met. Such data allow educators to intervene early 45 implement TNReady, a new statewide summative with students who are behind and to push higher- assessment. This assessment will align with achieving students to perform at even higher levels.157 Tennessee’s State Standards and provide educators Additionally, schools and districts use data from with integral feedback on student progress toward assessments to make important decisions about college readiness. For these reasons, it is essential teacher hiring and teacher assignment. For these to maintain stability in Tennessee’s standards and reasons, Tennessee’s policymakers, educators, assessments. This stability will provide students and parents, and students must maintain commitment to educators with the time and support they need to annual statewide assessments, ensuring parents and successfully transition to these higher standards and educators have the information they need to prepare more rigorous assessments. students for success in college and career. Maintain a Strong Commitment to Annual Implement Recommendations from the Tennessee Standardized Assessments. To ensure educators Task Force on Student Testing and Assessment. and parents have the information they need to In March, Commissioner McQueen announced the prepare students for success in college and career, formation of a Tennessee Task Force on Student the General Assembly, Tennessee Department of Testing and Assessment. This task force convened Education, and State Board of Education should a representative group of education stakeholders commit to maintaining annual statewide assessments from across the state including teachers, parents, in Tennessee. Annual statewide assessments play principals, district leaders, policymakers, and one high an important role in school improvement practices, school student. This task force addressed the top providing parents, educators, and policymakers with challenges related to assessment in Tennessee and