State drops two high school TNReady tests

NASHVILLE – Tennessee will eliminate two required TNReady high school assessments in an attempt to reduce the testing burden on students and teachers.

The decision takes effect in the 201819 school year, dropping the required chemistry and English III tests taken by Tennessee students mostly in their junior year.

Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen's 30-member assessment taskforce made separate votes on the recommendations, both with the same conclusion.

The English III decision, however, proved to be difficult ahead of their vote, with many speaking for or against the elimination of the test.

Ultimately, the decision by the group was slated as a way to honor what teachers across the state were saying: Eleventh-grade students have too much on their plate.

"Keeping students at the center, teachers want fewer tests in that year. That’s how we support them," said Cicely Woodard, a Nashville public schools teacher and member of the committee.

McQueen reconvened — for the third time — her assessment taskforce in December after a second-year of issues with TNReady. The collective problems have caused statewide concern and frustration among many Tennessee parents and lawmakers.

Within the myriad of problems, the committee homed in on the number of tests that high school students face ahead of graduation. Overtesting has been a central concern among many parents.

Taskforce members said the two tests cut from the assessment regimen will still be focused on elsewhere.

Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis, said the state isn't throwing out accountability.

"We aren’t backing up, but we are certainly listening in some areas and maintaining a high level of standards," White said, a taskforce member.

In Chemistry, districts will be able to use an optional, state-created assessment to supplement its elimination.

The English III test will be scrapped, which teachers polled across the state overwhelmingly agreed needed to be eliminated.

McQueen said in the 2019-20 school year the state will prioritize a dual-credit exam so students can earn college credit from that class. The test is still being designed, McQueen said.

"This doesn't lessen the emphasis on those subjects," McQueen said.

The state will also cut a field test for at least two years administered to about a third of the state's students, according to Tennessee Department of Education news release. The state will also cut 78 minutes from its third- and fourthgrade English language arts tests, the release said.

The administration of TNReady has been difficult since its first year due to numerous issues. The problems have left teachers frustrated and parents questioning the need for the test — including why students spend so much time on tests.

Issues have included the cancellation of grades 3-8 testing in spring 2016 and the discovery of a small number of incorrectly graded year-end high school tests in the 2016-17 school year.

Other issues have also caused problems.

This past year, some school districts received raw state test scores — data used in final grades on report cards — late as the state's testing vendor resolved software problems. The state, however, also set timelines for districts to send in paper tests. Some missed the window, which officials said was either too tight a turnaround or unreasonable.

McQueen has since asked every district to share how it will use raw score tests in every grade ahead of the upcoming testing window.

McQueen has also promised the use of online testing in high school this year will improve the release of data for district accountability.

Reach Jason Gonzales at jagonzales@tennessean.com and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales.