MEMPHIS, Tenn — Monday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn announced the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) scores for Spring 2021. It’s the first state-level data giving insight to how the pandemic has hurt students academically.
As officials expected, the number of Tennessee students meeting grade level requirements has declined.
TCAP scores for third to eighth graders show declining state-wide averages.
“With the amount of distractions that are going on with COVID and then the understandable complications that teachers are having to deal with I don’t know how it would be possible to cover the same amount material that would normally be covered in nearly as much depth,” said Daniel Roberts, the owner of Connection Tutoring Center.
In math, one in four students are on grade level. While only 1 out of 10 economically disadvantaged students are on grade level.
Proficiency rates dropped by a third in science.
Data showed 3 out of 10 Tennessee students are meeting grade-level expectations in English Language Arts and 1 out of 7 economically disadvantaged students is meeting grade level expectation in the same subject.
Roberts said reading with your child at an early age can combat comprehension issues early, adding that introducing math skills in everyday life will help too.
“Whether it’s buying something at the store especially if you’re buying them a toy, it’d be a great thing to have them think about how this is working out.”
Roberts also said parents can test their child for any learning disabilities to make sure students are getting the help they need.
“My parents didn’t have me tested until middle school and we found that I was dyslexic,” said Roberts. “That would have been useful for my elementary school teachers to know.”
Roberts believes COVID is keeping every student a little bit behind.
“I don’t think there’s a student who is benefitting from the last year and a half of education. The particular system that we have to use because of COVID."