Recent TCAP Data Shows 8th Graders Fared Much Worse In ELA Than Students In 3rd Grade

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

State leaders continue to pat themselves on the back for a job well done despite data that shows that Tennessee’s 8th graders scored even worse in English Language Arts (ELA) than 3rd grade students who began their education journey during Covid-19.

While Governor Bill Lee lauds “Tennessee’s strategic education investments” having resulted in “encouraging gains for students across every subject and grade, including strong reading improvements,” recent TCAP data shows that the proficiency rate for 8th graders in ELA was a mere 26.3%, 0.5 of a percentage point increase over last year.

In May, parents across the state were alarmed when statewide numbers showed that only 40% of 3rd grade students scored “proficient” on the ELA portion of the TCAP, meaning 60% were potentially at risk for having to repeat the grade.

Greater than half of these students took the test again in an attempt to advance to 4th grade without having to sign up for summer school or tutoring.

The state had almost perfect participation in 2022-2023 TCAP testing, with a participation rate of 99%, up from last year. A total of 92 districts had a 99% participation rate and 29 districts participated at 100%.

Overall, Tennessee’s public school students showed only minor improvement since 2021-2022.

Here’s how all of the students tested (grades 3 – 11) fared:

In English Language Arts, 1.6% improvement, with 38.1% of students scoring proficiently. 

In Math, 3.2% improvement, with 34% – barely over a third – of students proficient.

In Science, 3.4% improvement, with 43.2% of students proficient.

In Social Studies, 0.5% improvement, with 43.2% of students scoring proficiently.

In all of the 2022-2023 TCAP statewide data highlights which can be found here not a single percentage was at 50% or above.

These very underwhelming scores for which House Education Administration Chairman Mark White congratulated the state’s “dedicated and hard-working teachers” and that he called “great results” should have all of Tennessee’s taxpayers questioning what they are getting for their money.

Of the 26.3% of 8th graders who scored proficiently in ELA – barely more than a quarter of all students getting ready to start high school – just 4% exceeded expectations. Just over a third of all 8th grade students met or exceeded expectations in math.

Taking a look at freshman high school students from this school year shows that 36% of 9th graders taking English I met or exceeded expectations while just 17.8% of Algebra I students in 9th grade reached that same benchmark. That number drops to 15% for 9th graders taking Integrated Math I.

Here are the percentages of high school students per grade that met educational expectations in the only Social Studies course listed in the TCAP data which was U.S. History:

9th grade – 17.8%

10th grade – 24.9%

11th grade – 39.7%

12th grade – 35.4%

After the data was released, House Speaker Cameron Sexton thanked educators for their hard work “in closing the learning loss gaps created during Covid-19.” However, as we reported last year, pre-pandemic levels of proficiency in the state were nothing to brag about, and continue to be lackluster.

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.