Press Releases

National Report Card shows need for continued innovation in Tennessee

NASHVILLE — Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) released the following statement in response to the the release of Tennessee’s 2022 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) scores. NAEP is commonly referred to as The Nation’s Report Card, and the test is given to select 4th and 8th grade students every two years to measure their math and reading proficiency.

Tennessee’s scores mirrored a historic national drop following the pandemic with significant decreases in proficiency for students of color, English learners, and students with disabilities. While students in the Volunteer State are roughly at the national average in math proficiency and just under that in reading, proficiency in both subjects dropped to their lowest levels in more than a decade while students of color had the most dramatic declines

“All measurements of student proficiency are valuable and this year’s NAEP scores provide critical insight to what Tennessee has done well in response to the pandemic and where innovative ideas are needed to give all students a chance to succeed,” said Adam Lister, President and CEO of Tennesseans for Student Success. “I’m thankful for the early and bold action taken by Governor Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly to ensure the establishment of student-centered policies like the Tennessee Literacy Success Act and the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act to meet this historic challenge. Conversely, we must aggressively and urgently confront the crisis facing students of color and recognize that the pandemic impacts student populations differently. We believe all students deserve a high-quality education that prepares them for success after school and we must do all we can to ensure students of color across Tennessee have what they need to be successful.”

The U.S. first began testing students through NAEP in 1969. Today’s test involves a selected sample of schools that reflect the varying demographics of each state. Within each school, students are chosen at random, making the test the most comprehensive comparison available for cross-state comparisons of student progress.

NAEP testing occurs earlier in the school year than the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). It’s intended to be a “big-picture” test as opposed to the TCAP’s results that measure the performance of individual students, schools, and districts.

Tennesseans for Student Success is a statewide network of parents and caregivers, teachers, community leaders, volunteers, and advocates dedicated to championing and supporting Tennessee’s students and their futures.

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