Tennessee Department of Education announces improvements in K-12 literacy and efforts to maintain progress

A TDOE graphic shows TCAP results by grade. 

While recent state assessment data trends show that students throughout the state are making gains in literacy, officials from the Tennessee Department of Education say more work is needed to maintain that progress moving forward.

According to TDOE Assistant Commissioner for Academics and Instructional Strategy Christy Wall, who gave state education officials an update on state literacy progress at Thursday’s State Board of Education workshop meeting, spring 2024 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) exam results indicate that 39 percent of all students are meeting grade level expectations, with proficiency gains in most tested grades and elementary and high schools continuing to outperform pre-pandemic levels.

However, she said, current test data nonetheless “indicates that there are still a lot of students out there that need continued support in reaching grade-level expectations.”

“We’re thrilled to see those gains and the achievement,” she said. "We still have continuous work and improvement to do in ensuring that all students have equitable access to their instructional materials and tier one instruction in our districts ... Our districts are working hard in prioritizing literacy.”

To help accelerate the progress made thus far, Wall said the department is now entering year five of its Literacy Implementation Networks initiative, which allows districts across the state to engage with the department to learn more about best instructional practices for boosting student literacy. She said the department has also emphasized efforts to train more English Language Arts (ELA) instructors, among other strategies geared toward improving literacy.

“We also have coordinated efforts with our core regional offices that are positioned throughout our state with ELA consultants and math consultants,” she said.

In addition to those strategies, Wall also announced the relaunch of the state’s Early Literacy Network initiative, which provides professional development resources for school and district leaders to “advance the implementation of foundational literacy skills instruction.”

She said collaboration with districts will be a key part of “multi-pronged” efforts to improve student literacy throughout the state.

“In years past, we had a different iteration of a literacy network for districts that they were able to engage in to focus on foundational literacy. We had a year gap in that area of emphasis, and so we are launching that as of this month for districts to re-engage there,” she said.“Our districts learn and collaborate quite naturally on their own," she added. "We provide the structure and space to ensure collaboration is happening.”