This week, the Tennessee Department of Education released state and school district-level data for this year’s Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). While the results are not ideal, there are several positives to glean and build upon.
Statewide, the assessment shows growth in proficiency for most grade levels in English Language Arts (ELA), an increase in proficiency for every grade level in math, and two to four percentage point increases in proficiency in science and social studies.
While Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) still lags behind the state averages in most areas, our school district saw its own level of improvement this year, including:
An increase of 1.4 percentage points in children meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA in grades 3-8, surpassing even pre-pandemic levels by more than three percentage points, and
An increase of 2.6 percentage points in children meeting or exceeding expectations in math in grades 3-8. (While this still falls short of pre-pandemic levels, it is markedly closer than the previous four years.)
Additionally, 3rd grade students scored 5.5 percentage points higher on ELA assessments than the average scores of all grade levels, suggesting that early grade interventions are paying off and should be expanded. These include early learning literacy coaching, high dosage tutoring, full-service community schools, and afterschool and summer tutoring. Perhaps the most impactful intervention for improving early grade reading scores is to intentionally invest in high quality preschool programs, which Memphis and Shelby County did by passing a Pre-K for All joint ordinance and expanding funding during this budget cycle.
We will continue to work with our partners and leaders to ensure that every child who attends school in Shelby County receives the resources they need to thrive.
For more in-depth school district-level data, see this spreadsheet.
