1. Tennessee School Boards Association Annual Convention Dr. Candice McQueen, Commissioner of Education

2. TENNESSEE SUCCEEDS.

3. In the spring of 2007, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce released an education report card for all states. Tennessee received an “F” in the category of Truth in Advertising when comparing proficiency on Tennessee assessments to National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Tennessee also received an “F” in the category of Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness. CALL TO ACTION.

4. 4 RESPONSE: RAISE STANDARDS INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY ALIGN ASSESSMENTS 2011–12: Tennessee earns approval for first ESEA waiver and led nation in implementing statewide teacher evaluation model 2012–15: Evaluation model modified each year based on feedback from the field 2015: USED approves Tennessee’s application for four-year waiver renewal 2008: TN adopts higher standards through the Tennessee Diploma Project 2010: State Board unanimously adopts the Common Core State Standards in ELA and math 2013-15: TN completes overhaul of Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses. 2014: Review process for new math and ELA standards begins. 2011–12: Tennessee students begin completing CRA in math, applying multiple skills to solve a problem 2014–15: All students in grades 3-11 took writing assessment and social studies field test online 2015–16: First year of TNReady!

5. SUCCESSES TO DATE. Fastest improving state in the nation on 4 th and 8 th grade NAEP Consistent gains on TCAP every year since new assessments in 2010 Fastest growing graduation rate of any state ACT statewide average has increased to 19.4 4

6. 2014-15 TCAP RESULTS:

10. BUT, WE STILL HAVE ROOM TO IMPROVE. Less than half of all 3 rd thru 8 th grade students are proficient or above in reading. Tennessee still ranks in the bottom half of all states on the Nation’s Report Card or NAEP. In fall 2014, 43% of high school graduates did not enroll in postsecondary. Almost 60% of first-time freshmen in TN community colleges took at least one remedial or developmental course. Tennessee’s six-year graduation rate is 28% for community colleges and 58% for universities.

11. SUCCESS AFTER GRADUATION 71,403 Students 2008 Cohort of High School Freshmen Students who graduated from high school and entered the workforce and earn an average salary of $9,161 annually, far below the poverty line. 13% 9,089 students 31% 39,748 students 75% Still enrolled 25% Not enrolled After one year Only 6 percent of students who were enrolled after one year completed a degree or certificate within two years. Did not graduate from high school Graduated from high school only Enrolled in postsecondary

12. OUR VISION. Districts and schools in Tennessee will exemplify excellence and equity such that all students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to successfully embark upon their chosen path in life.

14. OUR GOALS Tennessee will continue rapid improvement and rank in the top half of states on the Report Card. MEASUREMENT Tennessee will rank in top half of states on 4 th and 8 th grade NAEP in 2019. 1

15. Grade 8 Past Performance & Path to Ranking in Top Half of States by 2019 Grade 4 Past Performance & Path to Ranking in Top Half of States by 2019 GOAL 1 READING National Rank 2015 4 th grade reading: 36 th 2015 8 th grade reading: 30 th

16. Grade 4 Past Performance & Path to Ranking in Top Half of States by 2019 Grade 8 Past Performance & Path to Ranking in Top Half of States by 2019 GOAL 1 MATH National Rank 2015 4 th grade math: 25 th 2015 8 th grade math: 37 th

17. OUR GOALS. Tennessee will continue rapid improvement and rank in the top half of states on the Report Card. MEASUREMENT Tennessee will rank in top half of states on 4 th and 8 th grade NAEP in 2019. 1 2 The average ACT score in Tennessee will be a 21, allowing more students to earn HOPE scholarships. MEASUREMENT Tennessee will have an average public ACT composite score of 21 by 2020.

18. GOAL 2

19. OUR GOALS. Tennessee will continue rapid improvement and rank in the top half of states on the Report Card. MEASUREMENT Tennessee will rank in top half of states on 4 th and 8 th grade NAEP in 2019. 1 2 3 The average ACT score in Tennessee will be a 21, allowing more students to earn HOPE scholarships. MEASUREMENT The class of 2020 will be on track to achieve 55% postsecondary completion in six years. The majority of Tennessee high school graduates will earn a certificate, diploma, or degree. MEASUREMENT Tennessee will have an average public ACT composite score of 21 by 2020.

20. GOAL 3 Postsecondary Enrollment Next Steps After High School Graduation Based on Graduates from Class of 2014 Postsecondary Attainment Next Steps After High School Graduation Based on Graduates from Class of 2008 42% 35% 21% 2%

21. STANDARDS, ASSESSMENT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY We have seen tremendous success over the past few years based on a strategy centered around rigorous standards, aligned assessment, and strong accountability.

22. OUR PRIORITIES

24. Over the past several years, we have seen steady gains in math performance in grades 3-5; however, English language arts performance has remained stagnant or declined. Statewide assessments to measure student learning do not begin until grade 3. Of over 6,000 Tennessee students rated below basic in third grade English language arts, less than 3 percent reach proficiency by fifth grade. For many students, early intervention is a key element of later outcomes. National data shows that children who are not reading proficiently by third grade are four times less likely than their peers to graduate high school by age 19. EARLY FOUNDATIONS & LITERACY WHY THIS MATTERS

25. EARLY FOUNDATIONS & LITERACY Rather than focusing on short-cycle improvements, we have a long-term plan to confront lack of progress in early grades reading and writing across the state. Two specific initiatives: Ready to Read and Read to be Ready Implementing effective screening and high-quality interventions in early grades Continued trainings to target teacher knowledge of best practices Developing an academic coach network across the state to share effective strategies and provide on-the-job teacher training

26. OUR PRIORITIES

27. If we allow current trends to continue, only 24 percent of high school graduates will earn a postsecondary certificate or degree within six years of their high school graduation. Among students from the graduating class of 2015, only half of the 12 percent that took Advanced Placement tests for early postsecondary credit earned a passing score. Less than half of students who completed a Tennessee Promise application, which would qualify them for free attendance at any Tennessee community college, fulfilled all requirements to qualify for the scholarship. HIGH SCHOOL & BRIDGE TO POSTSECONDARY WHY THIS MATTERS

28. HIGH SCHOOL & BRIDGE TO POSTSECONDARY As a state, we recognize that high school graduation cannot be the end goal and that students need experiences in high school that directly translate into postsecondary options. Greater student access to quality early postsecondary opportunities and industry certifications Develop a common definition of postsecondary and workforce readiness for students, parents, and schools Focus on counselors to ensure that students receive meaningful information about the steps needed to set and achieve postsecondary goals

29. OUR PRIORITIES

30. We cannot improve outcomes overall without improving outcomes for our historically underserved subgroups: economically disadvantaged, Black-Hispanic-Native American, English learners, or students with disabilities. While average student performance has risen in past years, we continue to see substantial achievement gaps between students in historically underserved subgroups and their comparison groups. In grades 3-8, nearly 35,000 of the 450,000 students – 8 percent – tested below basic in both math and English language arts. All but 2,000 of these students fall into one of our four historically underserved subgroups. ALL MEANS ALL WHY THIS MATTERS

31. Economically Disadvantaged Not Economically Disadvantaged Black-Hispanic- Native American (BHN) Non-BHN English Learners Not English Learners Not Students with Disabilities Students with Disabilities Achievement Gaps Grades 3-8 English Language Arts Percent of students who are proficient or advanced 36% 33% 19% 67% 57% 53% ALL MEANS ALL WHY THIS MATTERS

32. ALL MEANS ALL As a state, we are committed to the success of all students. Our work in this area involves providing individualized support and opportunities for all students, with a specific focus on those who are furthest behind. Enhanced support with sharing best practices for RTI 2 in specific grade levels Pilot programs for personalized learning opportunities that support both students who are behind needing remediation and students who are advanced needing acceleration Address systemic gaps in different student groups’ access to highly effective teachers

33. OUR PRIORITIES

34. Since 2010, 15,000 educators have entered Tennessee public schools through 40 state-approved preparation programs. Improving teaching across the state will require improving teacher preparation. Nearly one-third of Tennessee teachers have less than five years of teaching experience, and 7 percent are in their first year on the job. The percentage of teachers who say the process of teacher evaluation improves their teaching has risen steadily to 68 percent of educators since the introduction of a new statewide evaluation system in 2012. EDUCATOR SUPPORT WHY THIS MATTERS

35. EDUCATOR SUPPORT: TEACHER PREPARATION Achieving our goals will require a tremendous amount from our teachers. Roughly one-fifth of teachers in the state are in their first through third-year in the classroom. We believe we can do more to ensure that the candidates you receive from our teacher prep institutions are classroom-ready. Rigorous accreditation process for educator preparation programs that focus on outputs Feedback from employers about the strength of candidates that will figure directly into the program accreditation process New sources of public data about the strengths and weaknesses of educator preparation programs in order to drive their improvement and to help candidates make informed decisions about the program they choose

36. EDUCATOR SUPPORT: SCHOOL LEADER PREPARATION Research shows that strong leadership impacts student performance. There are virtually no documented instances of low-performing schools being turned around without the intervention of a powerful leader. Knowing that roughly a quarter of principals in Tennessee turnover each year, we must address our issues around leadership pipeline. Develop a transformational leadership advisory council Support and develop regional transformational school leadership hubs Launch the Governor’s Academy for School Leadership (GASL) which will impact districts statewide.

37. OUR PRIORITIES

38. DISTRICT EMPOWERMENT WHY THIS MATTERS Serving the state means serving a diverse group of 142 districts. We cannot achieve our collective goals without building flexibility and district ownership into all that we do. There is no one-size-fits-all model. The department actively measures ongoing progress to ensure a department orientation toward empowerment rather than compliance. Currently, 25 districts are using an alternative, district- selected model for teacher evaluation, and 114 districts are making use of state-provided evaluation support tools. Over a hundred districts have integrated with the state data system to allow real-time educator dashboards and fully- automated state reporting.

39. DISTRICT EMPOWERMENT WHY THIS MATTERS Tennessee School Districts By Student Enrollment Numbers

40. DISTRICT EMPOWERMENT Ideas worth replicating and spreading have started in our schools and classrooms - not at the state. We are committed to providing districts with the autonomy they need to best serve their students. Increased delivery of actionable data to our districts and schools Simplified technology platforms that support and automate district work Greater access to innovative tools that will allow educators to deliver compelling adaptive instruction Networked improvement communities to promote district innovation and idea-sharing

41. HOW WILL YOU LEAD THIS VISION? How will you align? How will you communicate? How will you inspire?

42. TNReady

43. Part I Requires Multiple Skills in Action Both English and math will be assessed on Part I. Part I for ELA will replace the state’s current writing assessment. –It will require open-ended written responses in ELA. Part I for math will include performance tasks in grades 3 through 8. –These performance tasks are multi-step problems that allow students to demonstrate several skills towards a practical application. Districts can select dates between Feb. 8- March 4. –This is a similar timeframe that we used for the Writing Assessment in previous years.

44. Sample ELA Writing Prompt: 3 rd Grade Students will read a set of passages. The passages describe how beavers and a mole build their homes. How are the two homes different? How are they alike? Write an essay that compares and contrasts the homes of beavers and moles. Be sure to use facts and details from both texts to support your essay. Follow the conventions of standard written English. Manage your time carefully so that you can –Plan your essay –Write your essay Type your answer in the space provided.

45. Sample Math Performance Task: 4 th Grade Joe went hiking for 1 week. The table shows Joe's distance from the start of the trail in miles (mi) at the end of each day of hiking. Part D

46. Part II Measures Skills in Multiple Ways Part II of TNReady will replace the current TCAP tests for math and English language arts administered in April/May. –Districts can select dates between April 18-May 13. –Districts administering the paper and pencil test will give Part II between April 25-May 6. This portion will ask students to select responses for multiple types of questions. Performance on Part I and Part II will be combined into a single composite score for each student.

47. Previous TCAP Tests v. TNReady

51. What are the TNReady Practice Tools? TNReady Practice Tools available to educators and students. Sample items in MICA (Measurement Incorporated Classroom Assessment) Practice tests delivered in MIST (Measurement Incorporated Secure Testing) 51

52. TNReady  Online Assessment TNReady will be administered online with paper back- up available. This gives Tennessee students an opportunity to develop critical technology skills they need for success, while also ensuring that they do not fall behind their peers in other states where online tests are given. We have phased in required online testing over the last four years. Many states have been testing online for 15+ years. 52

53. Network Readiness Currently, no district or schools have requested to take TNReady paper and pencil tests. Ready (99%) Getting Ready (1%) Ready (88%) Getting Ready (12%)

54. Device Readiness Ready (90%) Getting Ready (10%) Ready (63%)Getting Ready (37%)

55. “Break MIST Day” – Test Results Nearly 110,000 students logged on to MIST. Peak load was 3 to 4 times more than we experienced during writing assessment in the spring, as we compressed a four-week window for administration into three hours. These conditions truly created a “stress test,” a load we would not expect during the normal operational window. –Results: MIST system did experience slow response time at midway point through 3-hour window but eventually recovered from bottleneck issues. –What We Learned: We need to increase server capacity to improve speed and performance of MIST and continually monitor the system to ensure it’s operating efficiently. –Next Steps: Vendor will review data collected and make updates to ensure seamless performance during the operational assessment. 55

56. First Two Weeks of TNReady High school students who are on a block schedule have been taking Part I of their applicable end-of-course test this month. In the first two weeks, more than 50,000 students took the test, with minimal if any issues. That is about 60% of the students who will take TNReady this fall. So far, we have not gotten a report of any major glitches or technology problems. We are continuing to closely monitor this testing window and strengthen the online platform. FYI, as of the end of October, as many as 130,000 users each day were taking the practice test. 56

57. Testing Time Comparison Students will spend a similar amount of time taking state- required tests as they have in previous years.

58. Testing Time is Similar to Last Year

59. TNReady Balances Think Time & Test Length The times listed include Part I and Part II. TNReady is a test of skill not speed. The test balances length while also allowing time for students to answer each question thoughtfully. –TNReady focuses on smart testing time.

60. TNReady will provide better information for families Parents will receive more and better information on their student’s performance. The new reports are designed to do three things:

61. Current TCAP Individual Student Reports for grades 3-8 61

62. TNReady Potential Ideas for Report Redesign 62

63. TNReady Potential Ideas for Report Redesign 63

64. Reporting Timeline

65. Accountability During TNReady Transition

66. How will TNReady affect TVAAS? TVAAS will compare students’ relative performance on TNReady to their peers’ performance on TNReady. TVAAS will not compare students’ absolute performance on TNReady to their absolute performance on TCAP. Because students’ performance will be compared to the performance of their peers, any drops in statewide proficiency rates resulting from increased rigor will have no impact on the ability of teachers, schools, and districts to earn strong TVAAS scores.

67. How will TNReady affect teacher evaluations? The Tennessee Teaching Evaluation Enhancement Act passed last spring adjusts the weighting relative to the Individual Growth Score component of teacher evaluations during the transition to TNReady. The new law provides for a three-year phase-in approach so that new state assessments administered in 2015-16 through 2017-18 will factor in a teacher’s evaluation as follow: –10 percent of the individual growth in the first year (2015-16) –20 percent of the individual growth in year two (2016-17) –35 percent of the individual growth in year three (2017-18)

68. Standards Review Update

69. Standards Review Timeline ELA and Math –Last year, more than 130,000 reviews and more than 20,000 comments were collected on the current ELA and math standards. –A team of nearly 50 Tennessee educators and higher education faculty worked to evaluate and revise the standards. –The website is currently open now through mid-November for the second window of public feedback on the newly revised ELA and math standards. –Implementation will take place in the 2017-18 school year. Science –Initial revisions to science standards were developed by teams of educators from throughout the state last year. –The website is currently open for the first of two windows of public feedback on new science standards. This first window will close in mid-December. –Implementation will take place in the 2018-19 school year. Social Studies –The standards review process for social studies will begin in January.

70. Educator and Parent Roundtables Purpose: Gather more feedback Goals: –Explain math and ELA standards revisions –Directly answer questions about the standards –Come away with specific feedback and comments REGIONDATECITY First TN Monday, Nov. 2Kingsport East TN Tuesday, Nov. 3Knoxville Mid Cumberland Monday, Nov. 9Nashville Northwest Thursday, Nov. 12Martin Southwest Tuesday, Dec. 1Jackson South Central Wednesday, Dec. 2Shelbyville Southeast Tuesday, Dec. 8Chattanooga Upper Cumberland Wednesday, Dec. 9Cookeville

71. Resources TNReady Information: TNReady.gov Item Sampler: micatime.com or supportmicatime.com Questions: TNReadyQuestions@tn.govTNReadyQuestions@tn.gov Tennessee Education Standards Review Feedback: https://apps.tn.gov/tcas/ Questions: TNStandardsReview@tn.govTNStandardsReview@tn.gov 71