Despite having two schools recently destroyed by tornados, Tipton County students will be required to participate in the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). Crestview Elementary and Crestview Middle School were the two elementary schools destroyed during the tornados.
Tipton County, a rural, conservative county that borders the Mississippi River, appealed directly to Governor Bill Lee for relief from the burden of testing this year due to the county still dealing with the after facts of two tornadoes that struck on March 31. According to a WREG report, “The tornadoes damaged 540 structures, causing more than $37 million in damages.”
But state officials denied the district’s request for a waiver from this year’s testing. As a result, starting April 25th, students will test at an alternative site.
Kathryn Vaughn, who serves as president of the Tipton County Education Association, told The Tennessee Star via email, “I attended the TCS board meeting on Thursday night and could hear the optimism in my superintendent, Dr. John Combs voice when he spoke about his impending Zoom with the governor in regards to letting our third graders, at least opt out of this year’s high stakes exam.” Vaughn added, “Unfortunately, that was not to be the case. We are a rural overwhelmingly conservative district that has supported Bill Lee but, this is incredibly disheartening to parents, students, and our entire community.”
This year is the first where Tennessee’s third-grade retention law goes into effect. Students who fail to score as “meeting expectations” are required to repeat third grade unless they participate in a tutoring and/or summer school program. Parents do have the right to appeal a decision to retain a student.
Vaughn told The Star, “In my capacity as the president of the Tipton County in Education Association, I disagree with Governor Bill Lee’s decision. I feel that if a child’s school is in rubble, then they should not be required to take a high-stakes test, especially this year when it means so much for our third-grade students. If our governor believed in supporting children’s mental health then he would not be adding the stressor of high-stakes testing to students that have already experienced so much tragedy this year”
TCAP has been the state’s testing program since 1988, including math, English language arts, social studies, and science assessments. Tennessee’s students participate in TCAP testing once a year in grades 3-8 and at the end of certain classes in high school. TCAP assessments measure how well students have gained the knowledge and skills expected for their subject and grade level, which are based on the Tennessee state academic standards. Student results factor into student funding and programming decisions for the upcoming school year.
This year, TCAP is being administered to students in grades 3-8 from April 17 – May 5. Scores are expected to be available on May 15th.
– – –
TC Weber is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. He also writes the blog Dad Gone Wild. Follow TC on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]. He’s the proud parent of two public school children and the spouse of a public school teacher.
Photo “Tipton County Schools Sign” by tipton-county.com.
