Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

TNReady

not so fast

Tennessee
1 day ago

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
1 day ago

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.

listening tour

Tennessee
November 6, 2017

Memphis leaders are developing Shelby County Schools’ first academic plan since the merger. And they want input.

A community listening tour kicks off this week as Chief of Schools Sharon Griffin hones strategies aimed at reaching the district's 2025 goals.

Complex text

Tennessee
November 2, 2017

A harder English curriculum arrives in Memphis elementary schools next week. Here’s how teachers are preparing.

Shelby County Schools is adding Expeditionary Learning to its curriculum mix as the district seeks to expose its students to more complex reading content.

To our readers

Tennessee
October 30, 2017

Hey, we heard you. You had a lot of questions about TNReady. We found answers.

Chalkbeat takes some of our readers' top concerns about Tennessee's new test directly to the state Department of Education.

TNReady Testimony

Tennessee
October 25, 2017

As lawmakers grill McQueen about Tennessee’s testing problems, here are five things we learned

Details about scoring errors and testing plans emerge as state legislators seek explanations for a second straight year of problems with TNReady.

Results are in

Tennessee
October 19, 2017

Tennessee’s largest district sees 1 in 5 young students meeting expectations on new TNReady test

The switch to the new test was especially disruptive for the iZone, which until now showed significant progress compared to other low-performing schools in the district.

ASD scores

Tennessee
October 19, 2017

In Tennessee’s turnaround district, 9 in 10 young students fall short on their first TNReady exams

Nine out of 10 of elementary- and middle-school students in Tennessee’s turnaround district aren’t scoring on grade level in English and math, new data says.
Tennessee
October 19, 2017

School-by-school TNReady scores for 2017 are out now. See how your school performed

Nearly six months after Tennessee students sat down for their end-of-year tests, all of the scores are now out. State officials released the final installment…

moving on

Tennessee
October 17, 2017

Teacher pay raises on schedule in Memphis despite possible changes to evaluation scores

Memphis teachers will start receiving their performance-based salary increases in November, even though evaluation scores could change for at least 587 educators.

explainer

Tennessee
October 17, 2017

Five things to know about the latest brouhaha over Tennessee’s TNReady test

The revelation that nearly 10,000 Tennessee high school tests were scored incorrectly unleashes a new round of complaints about the standardized test.

Clarion call

Tennessee
October 16, 2017

Memphis teachers union calls on Tennessee to invalidate TNReady over scoring errors

From the State Capitol, Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell called for a hearing on recently revealed scoring errors by the state department's testing vendor.

Scores in

Tennessee
October 4, 2017

The report card is in for Tennessee grade-schoolers. It’s not good, but it’s expected.

Most elementary and middle school students are lagging in English and math, based on the first year of scores under the state's harder new TNReady test.

Finally

Tennessee
October 3, 2017

After a two-year gap, Tennessee is about to release test scores for grade-schoolers. Here’s what to expect.

A significant void in test score data will start to be filled with this week's release of statewide TNReady scores for grades 3-8.

exclusive

Tennessee
September 18, 2017

Most Memphis schools score low on student growth under new state test

Find out how your school fared in growth on the state's new test in this Chalkbeat exclusive.

in the burbs

Tennessee
August 30, 2017

Germantown tops Tennessee in high school test scores, other suburban Memphis districts see gains

School systems in Arlington, Collierville and Germantown are among 10 statewide to reduce the percent of students performing below grade level in every subject.

long road

Tennessee
August 30, 2017

Tennessee’s turnaround district scores worse in nearly all high school subjects

The Achievement School District's disappointing scores came in the second year under Tennessee's new TNReady test.

Scores in

Tennessee
August 30, 2017

More Tennessee districts doing better on high school English tests, less so on math

Three out of every four districts see English proficiency rise in the second year of TNReady testing — but less than half see the same trend in math.

Looking for bright spots

Tennessee
August 30, 2017

Memphis high schools see lowest scores rise, but few students are passing

Memphis high schoolers who are failing state tests are improving in most subjects — one of a few silver linings amid mostly gloomy results for Shelby County Schools.

school turnaround

Tennessee
August 29, 2017

As Tennessee prepares to release more high school scores, McQueen calls turnaround work a challenge

The state's ed chief hints that the trajectory for high school turnaround won't change significantly when Tennessee releases district-level scores on Wednesday.

TNReady preview

Tennessee
August 25, 2017

The early data is in. Tennessee scores dropped for grades 3-8, too.

Calling it a "reset moment," state officials review preliminary TNReady data with the State Board of Education.

year two

Tennessee
July 27, 2017

Tennessee high schoolers post higher test scores, but some subjects remain a struggle

The increases were modest on average, but sharp for some of the students who have historically struggled most.

previewing TNReady

Tennessee
July 26, 2017

Why Tennessee’s high school test scores, out this week, matter more — and less — than usual

The statewide scores will kick off the second year of results for TNReady, the state's standardized test.

TNReady snag

Tennessee
May 25, 2017

Tennessee’s ill-timed score delivery undercuts work to rebuild trust in tests

TNReady testing went smoother this year, but score delivery issues have put state education officials back on the defensive.

Not Ready

Tennessee
May 23, 2017

Memphis students won’t see TNReady scores reflected in their final report cards

Shelby County Schools joins the growing list of Tennessee districts not getting the test score data in time.

Making the grade

Tennessee
May 19, 2017

TNReady scores are about to go out to Tennessee districts, but not all will make student report cards

The Tennessee Department of Education will start to distribute test score data beginning on Monday, but that's too late for final grades in some districts.

Testing Time

Tennessee
May 9, 2017

TNReady took almost twice as long as Tennessee tests in 2012. Here’s why.

Elementary and middle school students took about eight hours of end-of-year tests this year, an amount consistent with national trends toward longer tests.

Testing

Tennessee
May 8, 2017

McQueen declares TNReady a ‘success.’ Here’s what comes next for Tennessee.

After a non-eventful testing period with the state's new test, Tennessee is marching ahead with its plan to test all high school students online next year.
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