August 2, 2021
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) today released the following statement in response to the release of the 2020-2021 Spring TCAP Assessment Results:
“These results underscore the sense of urgency and heavy lift that Tennessee leaders and educators now face as we work together to ensure all students get back on track and are set up for a lifetime of success,” said Adam Lister, president and CEO of Tennesseans for Student Success. “The fact that we even have this data is a testament to the extraordinary work of educators – not only for navigating the ever-evolving landscape and unprecedented disruptions of the past year but also for their commitment to ensuring the effective administration of this assessment so we know where students stand. TSS applauds Governor Lee, Commissioner Schwinn and the General Assembly for their proactive approach to mitigating learning loss with the special legislative session earlier this year and with the passage of the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act.”
In the 2021 special legislative session, TSS worked diligently to safeguard students and educators from the repercussions of test results while underscoring the need for continued assessment as a gauge for detecting learning loss and areas of growth. The Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act required local education agencies and public charter schools to implement a program of after-school learning mini-camps, learning loss bridge camps and summer learning camps to remediate student learning loss. In November 2020, TSS board chairman Austin McMullen pinned an op-ed in the Tennessean highlighting the importance of administering statewide testing to give an accurate picture of where students stand.
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