October 27, 2016
Tennesseans for Student Success today joins parents, teachers, students, community leaders, and elected officials in celebrating another indicator of success in Tennessee’s classrooms. Called “the Nation’s report card,” the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) measures student achievement in key subject areas and has named Tennessee the fastest improving state in the nation. Today’s announcement marks the second time in five years Tennessee has achieved this historic benchmark of student success.
“Today’s announcement that Tennessee’s 4th graders leapt to 19th and 8th graders to 21st in the nation – both in science – is great, but not surprising news,” said president and CEO Adam Lister. “We’ve said all along that with rigorous standards and increased accountability, combined to support excellent teaching, we could raise the bar for Tennessee’s students. Across the country science scores are on the rise, but Tennessee’s kids continue to lead the pack in growth. In fact, the rate of growth in Tennessee doubled the national average.”
Lister: “Continuing to be the fastest improving nation in education is more than a designation. It’s the result of mindful student-focused reforms centered around high expectations, increased accountability, rigorous standards, and an aligned assessment to measure success. Today is a great day to rightfully focus on the success in Tennessee’s classrooms, the fastest improving in the nation. Tomorrow we will continue to focus our efforts and attention on making sure the policies, people, and priorities that lead to this success are protected.”
For more information on Tennessee’s historic NAEP scores, visit the NAEP homepage linked here.