MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After the state halted TNReady testing for some age groups, state and local leaders spoke with WREG about their concerns regarding the role state tests play on teacher evaluations.
The Tennessee Department of Education announced Wednesday that it was stopping state testing for grades 3-8 after it cut ties with its test vendor, Measurement Inc.
The state said high schools will test as planned.
TNReady is meant to replace parts of the TCAP test and better engage student understanding.
It was supposed to be administered online.
The online system failed, and there were multiple delays in sending paper copies of both Part I and Part II of the tests.
“This is a very teachable moment for us, and it’s kind of embarrassing for our state to be totally honest with you,” said State Representative Antonio Parkinson.
WREG asked several leaders gathered at a TNReady news conference about teacher evaluations and the role state tests play in them.
“The best way to measure the accountability is to measure the product of the student, not a test. Tests were never designed to impugn, to destroy. A test is a teaching tool,” said Memphis-Shelby County Education Association Executive Director Keith Williams.
State Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said this school year’s TNReady data will only impact high school teachers if it helps them.
If teachers do not have TNReady data, their evaluation will rely on data from prior years.
Thursday, Parkinson called on the state to figure out its new assessment and not let scores impact ratings of schools, students, or teachers for a few years.
“I think we still need to continue to test, but I think we need to have three years of a hold harmless year while we’re developing and getting the test and bringing that test online,” he said.
Shelby County School Board member Stephanie Love believes there is a better way to help teachers use the test as an instructional tool.
“Let them sit down and look at the scores. Look at what the child may need improvement in, and make sure curriculum and your lesson plans off of what the children need help in,” she said.
“In my view, the best way to evaluate teachers is not through high stakes tests, because there are so many variables they’re not in control of. The best way to evaluate educators, in my view, is peer review. So, you have other teachers go into the classroom and determine whether or not the teachers are living up to reasonable standards,” said Senator Lee Harris.
Online information from the state said it looks at a number of different things to evaluate teachers, including classroom observations and student perception surveys.
