TnReady? Not at the Core One big issue facing Tennessee educators and students is the TnReady tests. TnReady is a series of online TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program) tests for English/Language Arts and Math for grades 3-11. Tests such as these are used to assess the students critical thinking skills needed to complete Common Core requirements, which is another issue altogether. These high-stakes standardized tests are used to measure a student's readiness for college and holds the school and the educator responsible for the outcomes. Developed by Measurement Incorporated, a North Carolina based company, these tests are taken online, on one lone server-for the whole state! When you have thousands of children taking a test at the same time on the same server, complications will soon arise. As students were taking the test the system crashed. Education Commissioner Candice McQueen stated, “ Despite the many improvements the …show more content…
A nonprofit organization FairTest (The National Center for Open and Fair Testing) has given their opinion on the issue. “ [Computer issues] reinforces the conclusion that the technologies rushed into the marketplace by political mandates and the companies paid to implement them are not ready for prime time.” FairTest also stated that it makes “no sense to attach high-stakes consequences to such deeply flawed tools.” Tennessee Education Association President Barbara Gray concurred with this statement. In recent years many states have made standardized tests a strong element in teacher evaluations. If a student is to do badly on these tests, it will effect the teacher and their future in the job. Barbara Grey called the link “unacceptable” and said these tests, such as TnReady should not be used to compromise the educators job. Officials have stated that they are making the test scores a smaller component in teacher