2016-17
SCORE CARD
OVERVIEW
Each year , the State Collaborative on Reforming Education ( SCORE ) publishes the SCORE Card to provide in-depth data on enrollment , student demographics , and student achievement by school district . This SCORE Card is a companion to the 2016-17 State of Education in Tennessee report , providing state and district leaders , as well as community members across Tennessee selected data points indicating where Tennessee ’ s school districts stand .
The 2015-16 school year represented a reset for state assessments , both in terms of rigor and implementation . Last year , TNReady assessments for grades 3-8 were canceled because of problems with the state testing vendor . In turn , educators , parents , and policymakers were left with an incomplete understanding of how well schools prepared their students academically . In the absence of such data , this SCORE Card incorporates Tennessee high school students ’ performance on math and reading courses , with focus on historically underserved student groups . Tennessee ’ s new assessments align with academic standards students must master to be ready for postsecondary education and career — reflecting a higher set of expectations for all students .
Tennessee has made historic gains in student academic achievement in recent years . Tennessee now ranks among the top 20 states in student achievement for fourth-grade science and among the top 25 states for both eighth-grade science and fourth-grade math . More graduates are enrolling in postsecondary programs that will provide them the skills and knowledge they need for productive lives and careers . Nevertheless , significant work remains to ensure equity in student access to educational opportunity . For example , economically disadvantaged students continue to lag behind their peers in both fourth and eighth grades , with gaps persisting or increasing in size . In terms of postsecondary readiness , fewer than 10 percent of African American students met at least three college-ready ACT benchmarks in 2016 , just as in the years prior . That rate compares to 20 percent of Hispanic or Latino students , 38 percent of white students , and 52 percent of Asian American students .
Academic improvement is uneven among students in Tennessee . This edition of the SCORE Card presents an opportunity for state and local leaders to reflect on current levels of student success , consider areas of focus , and take action . Definitions of SCORE Card indicators follow . A significant number of school districts in Tennessee do not have high schools , and an asterisk indicates categories where district-level data are unavailable .