State of Education in Tennessee Executive Summary – 2011-12 | Page 24

SECTION 2: S CORE Card

State Data
As Tennessee implements education policy
changes in classrooms statewide, student
achievement data indicate students are
beginning to rise to the challenge of the
state’s new standards. However, many
indicators illustrate that we are just at the
beginning of this important work to ensure
all of Tennessee’s students graduate from
high school prepared for college and career.
After experiencing a steep decline in achievement
levels last year after the state raised its standards,
TCAP scores reflected promising student gains in 2011.
Although 51 percent of students scored “proficient”
or “advanced” on the TCAP reading exam in 2010, 54
percent did so in 2011. Similarly, only 34 percent of
students scored proficient or advanced on the TCAP
math exam, but 41 percent did in 2011. The faster
rate of improvement in math scores is particularly
encouraging. A closer look reveals that the biggest
improvements occurred as students moved into
middle school, narrowing the proficiency gap that
occurs as students move into higher grade levels.
In addition, three-year composite TVAAS scores
across all subject areas rose in 2011. Scores rose by
the least amount in social studies, the only subject
area for which score scales were not changed in
2010-11. The state’s value-added scores remained
the same, however, in three subjects when compared
to 2010. As in 2010, the state earned a “D” in
science and a “C” in social studies. Although the
state earned a “D” in reading — the same grade
it received in 2010 — students showed gains in
this area. Student gains in math also contributed
to a grade of “B” in 2011, reflecting a substantial
improvement over the “D” the state earned in 2010.
As more rigorous curricula and assessments become
the norm, SCORE anticipates continued gains on
both student achievement and growth indicators.
Despite gains in some important areas, the state’s
achievement gaps between minority students and
their white peers persist. According to NAEP 2011
math results, average scores for black students fell
28 points below those of white students. Similarly,
scores of Hispanic students trailed those of white

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THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN TENNESSEE 2011–12

students by 15 points. In addition, students from
low-income backgrounds scored an average of 25
points lower than their peers who were not eligible
for free or reduced-price lunches, a discrepancy
unchanged from 1996. Educational improvement
must address these and other stark equity gaps in
our system. The state has reflected a commitment
to addressing achievement gaps by making them a
focus of its No Child Left Behind wavie