Transition to TNReady
Tennessee is at a critical crossroads in its efforts to prepare students for success in college and career. The state took
an important step in 2010 when it adopted new standards in English language arts and math. Research indicates that
Tennessee’s current standards are as strong as or stronger than standards previously implemented in other states.25
These standards focus on fewer topics in greater depth, have greater coherence, and require more critical thinking skills
and conceptual understanding than previous standards. For these reasons, the standards are a vast improvement from
Tennessee’s earlier standards, which were ranked among the lowest in the country.26 Furthermore, they are designed to align
with expectations for postsecondary and career success.
Research has found that in order for Tennessee’s State Standards to transform instruction and improve student learning, they
must be supported by high-quality, aligned assessments.27 When standards and assessments are misaligned, teachers make
instructional choices based on what is assessed rather than what the academic standards require. Tennessee now faces the
responsibility of implementing an assessment that aligns with the rigor and quality of the standards Tennessee adopted in
English language arts and mathematics. To fully realize the potential these standards have for improved student learning
in Tennessee, it is imperative for the state to implement an assessment that aligns with the depth, breadth, and rigor of
Tennessee’s State Standards in English language arts and math.
In December 2014, Tennessee’s Central Procurement Office concluded an RFP process for a new assessment, awarding the
contract to Measurement Inc. Over the past several months, Measurement Inc. collaborated with the Tennessee Department
of Education and local educators to develop Tennessee’s new assessments in English language arts and math. This new
assessment, called TNReady, will be implemented for the first time in the 2015-16 school year.
In this section, we summarize primary findings from educator surveys, focus groups, and interviews related to the transition
to the new TNReady assessment. During focus groups and interviews educators were asked to speak about: (1) the transition
to TNReady generally; (2) technological readiness for the TNReady assessment; (3) additional resources needed to ensure
a successful transition to the TNReady assessment; and (4) communications and supports provided thus far on the new
TNReady assessment.
Educator Readiness
Throughout focus groups and interviews, many teachers, principals, and district leaders responded positively to questions
about the transition to the TNReady assessment. Many educators discussed challenges faced over the past few years in
implementing the TCAP assessments, which were not fully aligned with Tennessee’s State Standards in English language arts
and math. Educators also often discussed the benefits of the new TNReady assessment, which includes extended response
items, asks students to explain their thinking in writing, and allows students to interact with the assessment in new ways. A
district leader in one of our district interviews said:
“Now as we flash forward to 2016, there is some relief that the summative assessment is going to be more
properly aligned to how students are being taught, the way they are being challenged to think and solve
problems. So, the change to TNReady is something many people are looking forward to”
Similarly, a principal in one of our focus groups stated:
“I love to see that finally the state test will be more aligned to the increased standards that we have.
It’s been really challenging straddling the fence between TCAP and our standards. So I’m really looking
forward to TNReady and so are my teachers. It’s safe to say that for most of the teachers in our district,
they’re looking forward to having a test that aligns to how they are teaching.”
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