8/12/2019 Statement of Facts in Response to June 19 Letter

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STATE OF TENNESSEE

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

BILL HASLAM 9th

FLOOR, ANDREW JOHNSONTOWER KEVIN HUFFMANGOVERNOR 710 JAMES ROBERTSON PARKWAY COMMISSIONERNASHVILLE, TN 37243-0375

Statement of Facts in Response to June 19 Letter

The letter claims a violation of Tenn. Code Ann. 49-1-607. This claim is baseless.

The letter states the statute was violated because the TCAP test results were not released to local

education agencies as required by Tenn. Code Ann. 49-1-617. This is inaccurate. TCAP quick scores

individual student results - were provided to local school districts on May 23, four days later than originally

anticipated by local school districts. Furthermore, 49-1-607 has no relation to 49-1-617. Rather, it

pertains to testing security guidelines for local school districts.

Tenn. Code Ann. 49-1-617, on the other hand applies to the inclusion of grades 3-8 TCAP scores in a

students applicable local course grade for the spring semester. To meet this provision, local school

districts use quick scores, which we provided on May 23.

The letter claims that the post equating process invalidates and removes test questions thus altering and

improving the overall results of statewide TCAP scores. This is categorically untrue.

The post-equating process, a widely-recognized best practice for standardized assessments, takes place

every year and is conducted by both internal and external experts to determine reliability and validity.

This process confirmed the 2013-14 TCAP tests were reliable and valid and that results can reasonably be

compared to previous years tests.

While the letter speaks to statewide TCAP scores, the scoresin question are, again, individual student

scores and not statewide scores. No scores were changed as a result of the post-equating process, and the

proficiency levels were not changed.

School and district TCAP results are released each year in July. There is no change in scheduling for the

release of school and district TCAP results for 2014.

The letter claims that the TDOE issued illegal and unauthorized waivers to LEAs to conceal results.

This claim is completely inaccurate.

Chapter 672 from the Public Acts of 2014 allows the commissioner to provide the same flexibility to all

public schools that previously was available only to charter schools. Charter schools have received waivers

from Tenn. Code Ann. 49-1-617 in the past. This statute deals only with student grades in particular

courses at the local level. These grades are not related to our accountability system under state or federal

law. It is our understanding the Attorney General is already reviewing this matter after receiving a formal

opinion request from a member of the General Assembly. We look forward to reviewing his opinion.

Again, quick score results have been provided to school districts, and school and district scores will be

released in July as in prior years. No scores have been concealed or altered in any way.