2014-15 State of Education in Tennessee | Page 18

Select and implement high-quality assessments that are nationally benchmarked and aligned to Tennessee’s State Standards. While the implementation of rigorous standards is an important step toward ensuring Tennessee students are prepared for college and career, it is difficult for students and educators to measure progress on those standards without a high-quality, well-aligned assessment. The purpose of educational assessment is to provide educators, parents, and students with information that helps them better understand students’ strengths and opportunities for growth. This information allows teachers to more effectively meet students’ unique needs and to recognize opportunities for instructional improvement. In 2015, it is critically important to select and implement assessments that align to state standards and provide educators, parents, and students with accurate information about students’ progress toward college and career readiness. 1. Statewide Summative Assessments: Implement a high-quality statewide assessment aligned to Tennessee’s State Standards in English Language Arts and Math. Now that a new summative assessment, called TNReady, has been selected, it is necessary to ensure that a new assessment is implemented as scheduled, without further delay in the 2015-16 school year and that preparations for implementation begin as soon as possible. In addition, it is important to push for continuous improvement on the selected assessment, assuring that it is high-quality, well-aligned to Tennessee