2001 TCAP Results 

The Knox County School System last week received some results of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests for the 2000-2001 school year.

In the five core subjects (mathematics, reading, language, science, and social studies), Knox County's national percentile ranks were above the national median of 50 at all 35 subject-grade combinations (grades two through eight). They ranged from a low of 50 to a high of 69. Of the 30 core subject-grade combinations tested statewide (grades three through eight), Knox County's national percentiles were all higher than Tennessee's.

According to Dr. Mike Winstead, Knox County Schools’ Coordinator of Research and Evaluation, the county's average national percentile ranks tend to be stable over time.

“It is not unusual to see a 3-5% change in the percentile scores from one year to the next,” said Winstead. “Some of this fluctuation is due to an actual change in the achievement level of students, while some is due to test factors such as one year’s test may be easier or harder than the previous year’s.”

Any significant changes will be looked at closely. This year Knox County had some drops in all of the third grade subjects. However, the State of Tennessee encountered nearly the same decrease.

The TCAP Writing Assessment is administered in grades 4, 7, and 11. Grades are on a scale from a low of 1 to a high of 6. A grade of at least 4 is considered proficient.

According to Winstead, in grade 4, 72% Knox County’s students were proficient. This is a 6% increase from 2000 and marks the fifth straight year with improvement. Six percent represents about 250 students. Thus, 250 more fourth graders were proficient this year then last.

“The results for seventh grade were just as exciting with 77% proficient,” said Winstead. “That is a 7% increase from last year and a 29% increase from just two years ago. Again, that means that over 250 more seventh graders were proficient this year as compared to last. It the high school level, 64% of our eleventh graders were proficient, which is the same as last year.”

At all grade levels, the percent of students proficient in Knox County is higher than the State which had 67% of fourth graders, 73% of seventh graders, and 61% of eleventh graders score in the proficient range.

The TCAP Competency Test was administered twice during the 2000-2001 school year (October and February). Next year, the Competency Test will be replace with the Gateway Tests. Those students who haven’t yet passed the Competency will continue to take it at least twice each year.

Knox County had 71% of its ninth graders pass the mathematics portion of the Competency Test, and 78% pass the Language Arts section. The 78% passing in Language Arts is a 4% increase over last year.

The High School Subject Matter Tests were administered at the end of each term (December and May) in Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry.

“Knox County continues to score well above the State average,” Winstead said. “In Algebra I, our students answered 73.7% of the items correctly compared with 65.5% statewide. For Algebra II and Geometry, our students scored 65% and 71.2%, respectively (statewide 52.1% Geometry, 61.6% Algebra II).”

KCS has not received reports on student performance on the ACT, SAT, and Advanced Placement Exams. In addition, TVAAS scores (value-added) are expected in October and the State Report Cards in the middle of November.

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