these assessments provide essential data for
All Tennessee elementary schools began
informing instruction. However, many educators
implementing RTI2 during the 2014-15 school
expressed dissatisfaction with the interim and
year. For middle and high schools, 2015-16 is the
benchmark assessments available to them, especially
first year of full implementation. The Tennessee
those purchased from outside vendors. Common
Department of Education has supported RTI2
concerns included that the assessments are not
implementation by training school-level teams
fully aligned to standards and that the data reports
and providing technical assistance to districts on
teachers receive are not detailed enough. Some
issues such as data analysis and differentiated
educators mentioned having to settle for lower-
instruction.89 While RTI2 is a state requirement,
quality assessments because of deficient funding.
there is no specific state funding allotment for this
Others expressed a desire for the state to provide
intervention.
more guidance on which interim and benchmark
assessments to use. Still others would like the state to
Educators who participated in SCORE’s 2015
create a single statewide benchmark assessment.86
Listening Tour had mixed opinions about RTI2.
Many felt that it was a much-needed change
RTI . Tennessee educators use the Response to
and had already seen promising results. Some
Instruction and Intervention (RTI2) framework to identify
cited it as one of the most positive changes to
students in need of intervention in reading, math, or
Tennessee education policy and practice in the
writing. Since July 2014, RTI2 has been the sole method
past few years. Other educators felt, however,
by which Tennessee students can be identified as
that the state provided insufficient guidance and
having a specific learning disability. RTI2 is a tiered
support for implementing RTI2. Several cited lack
model that provides progressively more intensive
of funding or personnel as a serious challenge to
interventions based on individual student needs and
implementation. Some had difficulty finding time in
responses to prior interventions. Students receiving
the school day to schedule interventions. Finally,
interventions are assessed periodically to monitor their
many educators were concerned about the amount
progress.87 The RTI2 model is illustrated in Figure 5.
of assessment required to fully implement RTI2.90
Figure 5. The RTI2 Model 88
Tennessee’s State Standards. Implementation
2
of Tennessee’s current standards in English
language arts and math began in the 2011-12 school
TIER I
All students receive high-quality instruction grounded
in Tennessee’s State Standards.
TIER II
In addition to Tier I instruction, students who fall below the
25th percentile in math and reading receive extra
help through intensive interventions.
year with kindergarten through second grade. In
the 2012-13 school year, all districts in Tennessee
implemented the new math standards in grades
3-8, while 60 districts piloted the new English
language arts standards. Districts statewide fully
implemented the standards in both subjects and
all grades beginning in the 2013-14 school year.
This section provides an overview of recent policy
and legislative changes related to Tennessee’s
State Standards and highlights the successes and
challenges educators face in the implementation of
TIER III
In addition to Tier I instruction, extra help is provided to
the standards.
Reviewing Tennessee’s State Standards.
students who don’t make significant progress with Tier II
In October 2014, Governor Haslam announced
interventions, are 1.5-2 grade levels behind, or are below
a public review process for Tennessee’s State
the 10th percentile. These students receive research-based
interventions in their specific area of need.
Standards for English language arts and math. The
State Board of Education typically reviews academic
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