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