Metro Nashville sees mostly gains, some drops in latest TCAP scores

Metro Nashville Public Schools has seen test scores steadily climb from four years ago — reflecting a statewide pattern — but gains this year are modest at the elementary and middle school levels, and scores declined in two high school subjects.

The percentage of Metro students proficient or advanced in English III and Algebra I dropped at the same time scores jumped in seven subjects, 2014 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program results released Wednesday show.

While Metro is still lagging behind surrounding counties and the state average in scores, Director of Schools Jesse Register pointed to gains in six subject areas that were greater than the state's. He also stressed that Metro's "achievement gaps" among student demographics — including among African-American, special-needs and low-income students compared with their peers — are smaller than the state average.

Reflecting a statewide trend, Metro saw its biggest gains at the high school level. And while bumps in grades 3-8 were smaller, Register's administration rejected the suggestion that results have topped off entirely.

"While the statewide growth on TCAP and end-of-course exams has flattened somewhat in recent years, there is still room for progress," said Paul Changas, the district's executive director of research, assessment and evaluation.

Individual school results aren't expected to be available until the week of Aug. 18.

A 'need to focus'

Register acknowledged a "need to focus" on Algebra I and English III over the next year. However, he noted a "dilemma" — students who excel in junior-level English often take Advanced Placement or other final exams and thus are not counted under TCAP. And as more students take Algebra I in eighth grade, fewer take its end-of-course exam in high school.

The one group that did not improve in at least half of its test measurements was Asian students — which happens to be Metro's highest-achieving group. Though Metro missed the mark by only eight students, the state has singled it out for "needing improvement" for the Asian subgroup.

The 2013-14 school year had been pegged as the final year for TCAP in Tennessee, with state officials bracing for a transition to the Common Core-aligned Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. TCAP, though, will be used again this year after the state legislature this spring voted to delay that transition.

As a result, Register and others have bemoaned how this year's test won't be fully aligned with Common Core standards. The state plans to reopen bidding from test manufacturers in the coming year for the 2015-16 year — and Register announced Wednesday that he wants Metro to be a "test district" for whatever that assessment is.

"What I'd like to do next year is abandon TCAP and test districtwide whatever aligned assessment comes so that we're field-testing for the state," he said. "We are ready to move forward."

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236 and on Twitter @joeygarrison.

SCORES BY DISTRICT

Cheatham County — Reading and science scores fell, while math scores improved 4.5 percentage points and social studies scores rose 1.2 percentage points. History and English I scores fell, but there were major gains in Algebra II (21 percentage points) and English III (16.9 percentage points).

Dickson County — All high school subjects except English III improved. All elementary subjects except math saw small drops.

Robertson County — All elementary scores fell, but all high school subjects except English III improved.

Rutherford County — All elementary subjects fell slightly. Four high school subjects fell and three rose, with the biggest gain in English II (6.1 percentage points).

Murfreesboro City — Only math scores rose, by three-tenths of a percentage point. Reading had the biggest drop (6.4 percentage points).

Sumner County — Small improvements in elementary subjects except reading and language arts, which saw a small drop. In high school, there was a fair drop in English III scores (6.5 percentage points) and a fair gain in Algebra II (5.8 percentage points), but small changes elsewhere.

Williamson County — All elementary subjects improved except reading, which didn't change. Only high school history and biology scores fell, with a large gain in Algebra II (10.8 percentage points).

Franklin Special School District — Reading and math slightly fell, while science and social studies slightly improved.

Wilson County — Elementary subjects all saw small declines. High school history scores fell and biology scores remained steady, but all other subjects saw small gains.

Lebanon Special School District — Math scores jumped 9.2 percentage points and science rose 1.4 percentage points. Reading and social studies fell less than one percentage point.

— Compiled by Noah Manskar from data provided by Tennessee Department of Education