Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

TNReady

help wanted

Tennessee
June 14, 2018

Will third time be a charm? Tennessee searches again for online testing company

After another bumpy year, the state will seek proposals from one or more companies to take over TNReady testing in the 2019-20 school year.

change of plans

Tennessee
June 11, 2018

With A-F grades off the table, Tennessee gets creative about rating its schools under federal law

Days of online testing problems this spring forced officials to toss out a new A-F grading system to rate the state's 1,700-plus public schools.

Splitting duties

Tennessee
May 30, 2018

Tennessee lawmakers OK shifting $12.5 million in TNReady testing work from Questar to ETS

Tennessee is banking that two companies are better than one when it comes to fixing the state’s troubled standardized testing program.

Payment dispute

Tennessee
May 23, 2018

Disputes with Tennessee testmakers aren’t new. Here’s an update on the state’s lawsuit with Measurement Inc.

The testing company fired by Tennessee’s education department two years ago will likely wait until 2019 to settle the case, according to documents recently obtained by Chalkbeat.

New research

Tennessee
May 22, 2018

From an ‘F’ to an ‘A’, Tennessee now sets high expectations for students, says Harvard study

Tennessee stands out in a new national report examining how the exodus from Common Core has changed states' expectations for their students.

COUNTING TNREADY

Tennessee
May 21, 2018

School boards across Tennessee scrap TNReady scores from students’ grades

One by one, a growing number of Tennessee districts are opting not to count TNReady scores against students whenever the results are released.

Regrouping

Tennessee
May 17, 2018

After another bumpy testing year, Tennessee likely will slow its switch to online exams

Education Commissioner Candice McQueen is looking at three options as the state seeks to regroup on TNReady.

All in the family

Tennessee
May 15, 2018

TNReady’s new testing company also owns the old one

Tennessee is turning to the new owner of current vendor Questar to work through headaches with the state's problem-plagued TNReady assessment.

Another pause

Tennessee
Updated May 15, 2018

It’s official! Results from Tennessee’s ugly testing year won’t count for much of anything

Tennessee teachers and school districts can decide how to use this year’s standardized test results and won’t suffer consequences if the scores aren't good.

Taking a hit

Tennessee
May 14, 2018

By getting testing wrong again, Tennessee could undo what it may be getting right

Many stakeholders worry that public outcry over this year’s sloppy TNReady testing will unravel years of carefully crafted accountability systems.

It's done

Tennessee
May 9, 2018

Tennessee’s messy testing season is finished, but how much the scores will matter is up in the air

Students turned in their last standardized exams on Wednesday, capping more than three weeks of on-again, off-again computerized testing for TNReady.

MIA

Tennessee
May 9, 2018

Some Tennessee students lost their TNReady test answers despite state’s reassurance they wouldn’t

When tests didn’t submit properly, most students were able to later. But in an unknown number of cases statewide, students lost test answers.

survey says

Tennessee
May 7, 2018

How did Tennessee testing go this year? An investigator is about to ask 64,000 educators

The state comptroller will email surveys this week asking for information on the administration of this year's TNReady exam.

In talks

Tennessee
May 4, 2018

Does Tennessee’s emergency response to testing problems conflict with federal ed law? Stay tuned.

While legislation to address TNReady woes has eased concerns in school communities, it's raised a flurry of new questions about Tennessee’s plan under ESSA.

conflicting reports

Tennessee
May 3, 2018

Did Tennessee offload too much blame for TNReady testing woes onto a dump truck?

The troubles that at least two school districts had connecting to Tennessee’s online testing system were not related to a slashed cable, the internet provider says.

Rounding a corner

Tennessee
May 2, 2018

After two rocky weeks, Tennessee testing settles down for the homestretch

Students tackling online state exams relish a stretch of normalcy this week after days of technical problems with TNReady.

testing testing

Tennessee
May 2, 2018

Inside a Memphis school dealing with the fallout of TNReady problems

Student anxiety, last-minute schedule changes, and hour-long holds with customer service hotline were common.

new plan

Tennessee
May 1, 2018

All Memphis teachers could get a raise now that TNReady scores won’t affect their pay

Shelby County Schools had originally planned to give raises to teachers with high evaluation scores, but TNReady issues sent district leaders back to the drawing board.

TNReady timeline

Tennessee
May 1, 2018

Here’s a list of everything that’s gone wrong with Tennessee’s 2018 testing

Tennessee was optimistic that this year would be different when students began taking the state’s standardized test known as TNReady. But it quickly…

comic relief

Tennessee
May 1, 2018

Tennessee’s TNReady testing troubles, as told in your gifs and memes

How teachers, students, and parents were able to laugh to keep from crying about TNReady.

First Person

Tennessee
April 30, 2018

My students were ready. Tennessee’s tests weren’t.

I do not want to wonder why the screen says “0 questions answered of 0 possible questions.” What does that even mean?

More headaches

Tennessee
Updated April 30, 2018

Tennessee online testing problems persist for third straight week

Issues included difficulties logging in, screens going blank, students getting booted off the online system, and trouble submitting their exams.

message to educators

Tennessee
April 27, 2018

Tennessee lawmaker urges teachers to make students “winners” not “whiners” about TNReady

Rep. Sabi Kumar sent an email to Robertson County educators after several urged him to advocate for this year’s state test results not counting on their evaluations.

TNReady trouble

Tennessee
April 27, 2018

About 1,400 TNReady tests invalidated after students take wrong test for their grade

Nearly 500 instances involved students in Anderson County near Knoxville who took science or social studies tests that were below their grade level.

Interrupted

Tennessee
April 26, 2018

Dump truck blamed for fiber optic line cut that disrupted TNReady testing

Online testing for Tennessee students was disrupted again on Thursday, this time due to the severing of a main fiber cable between Nashville and Atlanta.

Nail biter

Tennessee
Updated April 26, 2018

Tennessee lawmakers take another whack at shielding teachers from TNReady test flubs

The legislature orders that "no adverse action" may be taken over this year's TNReady scores out of concern that the test results will be flawed.

not so fast

Tennessee
April 23, 2018

Why Tennessee legislators share blame, too, for TNReady testing headaches

In 2014, the legislature voted to pull out abruptly from a multi-state testing partnership, which set the stage for TNReady.

Malicious disruptions

Tennessee
April 23, 2018

Tennessee says its online testing was hacked. And it has happened in other states, too.

Attacks on online testing systems and on school networks, in general, are relatively common, said Doug Levin, president of EdTech Strategies.

new rules

Tennessee
April 20, 2018

Now that TNReady scores will count less for students, will they even try?

In sum, one Memphis sophomore asked, “Why are we doing this anymore when know it won’t count?”

Chalkbeat explains

Tennessee
April 20, 2018

Four reasons Tennessee likely won’t go back to paper testing

In short, reverting to pencil-and-paper tests would be akin to ordering iPhone users to go back to flip phones. It almost certainly won’t happen.

TNReady backlash

Tennessee
April 19, 2018

Tennessee lawmakers take matters into their own hands on TNReady testing problems

After more testing problems, the legislature votes to pull TNReady scores from this year’s accountability systems for students, teachers, schools, districts.

Digging in

Tennessee
April 18, 2018

‘I do not plan to resign,’ McQueen tells lawmakers over latest testing missteps in Tennessee

Facing mounting pressure, the state's education commissioner vows to power through testing season and make adjustments as needed.

Face time

Tennessee
April 18, 2018

On the hot seat: McQueen to explain latest testing blunders to angry Tennessee lawmakers

Facing mounting pressure over more TNReady testing problems, Education Commissioner Candice McQueen will face lawmakers to explain what went wrong this time.

TNReady shockwaves

Tennessee
April 17, 2018

Memphis school board discusses dropping TNReady scores from teacher decisions after testing failures

The angry declarations came after two days of glitches in Tennessee testing including what the state called a “deliberate attack” on its testing vendor’s data center.

TNREADY THOUGHTS

Tennessee
April 17, 2018

How Tennessee’s testing snafus impact kids and educators — in their own words

We asked educators, parents, and students how this week’s testing snafus have impacted them personally. Here are some of your responses.

Testing backlash

Tennessee
April 17, 2018

Tennessee lawmakers call for McQueen’s resignation, scrapping TNReady over more testing failures

Problems with Tennessee's online student testing system for a second straight day spurs talk on Capitol Hill.

Target on TNReady

Tennessee
Updated April 17, 2018

‘Deliberate attack’ during day two of TNReady testing creates chaos for Tennessee districts

Tennessee’s student tests were derailed on Tuesday for a second straight day, this time by what state education officials say might have been “a deliberate…

TNReady

Tennessee
April 16, 2018

Some Memphis-area schools opt to wait a day after system snafu stalls online testing

The state said its testing vendor fixed the problem, but Shelby County Schools left it up to individual high schools to decide how to proceed.

deja vu

Tennessee
April 16, 2018

TNReady is back online, and technical problems are back too

Tennessee's return to statewide online testing starts off bumpy, but state officials promise it will go better on Tuesday.

Back online

Tennessee
April 12, 2018

Two years after massive testing snafus, Tennessee will test more students online than ever

TNReady begins April 16 and ends May 4, with high schoolers easing Tennessee back into statewide online testing.

Nation's Report Card

Tennessee
April 10, 2018

Tennessee’s performance slips in math on national test of student achievement

Fourth-graders lost ground on exams known as the Nation's Report Card, while the state's other 2017 scores in reading and math were mostly flat.

early adopters

Tennessee
April 5, 2018

Here’s the list of Tennessee school districts choosing to test younger students online this year

Fifty-nine districts have opted to expand online testing beyond high schoolers this month when they begin administering the state’s standardized test.

Testing tweak

Tennessee
March 28, 2018

How much TNReady affects final grades is likely to change again — but just for Tennessee’s youngest students

Some students' final grades could be less impacted by their TNReady scores under a bill that appears poised to become law.

back in town

Tennessee
March 8, 2018

Back in Memphis, founding superintendent of Tennessee’s turnaround district says the effort needs more time

In town this week for a philanthropic event, Chris Barbic told Chalkbeat that he expects low-performing schools absorbed by the state-run district to see more progress.

Election 2018

Tennessee
January 24, 2018

Six things we heard during Tennessee’s first gubernatorial forum on education

Tennessee voters got their first good look at most candidates for governor during an education forum televised statewide.

Election Forum

Tennessee
January 22, 2018

Tennesseans are about to get their first good look at candidates for governor on education

Voters will get to hear from all but one of the major candidates Tuesday evening during the first gubernatorial forum televised statewide.

State Report Card

Tennessee
January 10, 2018

New in Tennessee: one-stop shopping for the latest school data

Tennessee releases its new State Report Card online, complete with TNReady scores from the first year of completed testing for all grades.

Looking back and ahead

Tennessee
December 21, 2017

Here are six big things that happened in Tennessee in 2017 that will resonate in 2018

From TNReady snafus to pre-K investments, Tennessee faced education challenges and opportunities in 2017 that are sure to make headlines again during the new year.

testing testing

Tennessee
November 20, 2017

McQueen to convene third task force as Tennessee seeks to get testing right

The group will examine the state's testing program in the wake of persistent hiccups with TNReady and perennial concerns about over-testing.

Payment dispute

Tennessee
November 14, 2017

Fired testing company seeks $25.3 million for work on TNReady’s bumpy rollout

The president of Measurement Inc. says his company continues to seek payment for services rendered developing the state's new standardized test.
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