Assessment Information
ACCESS for ELLs
Purpose: To monitor students' progress in acquiring academic English.
Grade Level/Class: K-12
Description: ACCESS for ELLs (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners) is a secure large-scale English language proficiency assessment given annually to Kindergarten through 12th graders who have been identified as English language learners (ELLs).
Use of Data: Results serve as one criterion to aid in determining when ELLs have attained the language proficiency needed to participate meaningfully in content area classrooms without program support and on state academic content tests without accommodations. Data provide schools with information that will aid in evaluating the effectiveness of their ESL/bilingual programs and identifies the ELP levels of students with respect to the WIDA ELP Standards' levels 1-6.
Dates: February 5 - March 29, 2024.
Testing Times: 100-120 minutes; additional 35 minutes for Grade 1 Tier A, 60 minutes for Grade 2-12 Tier A or 65 minutes for Tier B/C.
Parental/Student Notification: Parent notification letter in their native language within the federal guidelines.
Grades: No grades are given on this assessment.
ACT®
Purpose: To assess students' academic readiness for college.
Grade Level/Class: 11-12
Description: The ACT (No Writing) consists of four multiple-choice tests: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science.
Use of Data: Eligibility for Graduation with Honors, Tennessee Hope Scholarship, dual credit enrollment requirement; course placement in fourth year Math
Tentative Dates: Senior Retake: October 17-26, 2023, Juniors: March 12-22, 2024.
Testing Times: 175 minutes
Parental/Student Notification: Available to students and parents through their online ACT account within three to eight weeks.
Grades: No grades are given on this assessment.
CogAT
Purpose: To assess the reasoning and problem-solving skills of students.
Grade Level/Class: 2
Description: CogAT is a nationally normed cognitive ability test. All three sections in CogAT are referred to as batteries and each battery consists of a set of questions that test different reasoning and problem solving abilities of a student. The three batteries are: verbal, quantitative, and non-verbal.
Use of Data: The results are provided to teachers and school administrators to help them address the instructional needs of their students. They may be used as one measure of student achievement during the current school year.
Tentative Dates: September 11-22, 2023
Testing Times: 122 minutes
Parental/Student Notification: Schools are provided stickers to place in the student’s cumulative folder. Results are provided to teachers and school administrators only. Paper copy available upon request during the student's parent-teacher conference.
Grades: No grades are given on this assessment.
ESGI (Education Software for Guiding Instruction)
Purpose: Effortlessly track students’ progress of skills across content area. Seamlessly report personalized data to parents. Instantly determine students’ strengths and weakness.
Grade Level/Class: VPK, 1st Grade
Description: A simple and secure basic development skills and observational assessment teacher-led progress monitoring platform that provides a frictionless process to conduct one-on-one assessments online. Pre-Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten assessments include basic developmental skills and observational assessments. It has been developed to align to preschool foundational standards as well as CCSS for Kindergarten. These assessments are often used for Kinder Readiness testing. The assessments for 1st Grade are standards-aligned and designed to meet the instructional needs of all students. It meets the requirements for ESSER, Title I Part A, Title II Part A, IDEA, and School Improvement Grants. Includes SEL, reading intervention and standards aligned and Reading Foundational Skills.
Use of Data: Monitor progress accurately and authentically in real-time at the student, teacher, school, and district level. Teachers use the data to differentiate instruction, re-teach, show growth over time, and guide their instruction.
Dates: April 2-5, 2024
Testing Times: TBD
Parental/Student Notification: Student’s strengths and weakness are determined instantly, and then personalized data can be reported to parents.
Grades: No grades are given on this assessment.
Mastery View Predictive Assessments
Purpose: TE21's MVPA Benchmark Assessments provides grade level assessments for grades 1, and 3-High school that are aligned to state standards. They assess how schools are progressing towards meeting their academic goals.
Grade Level/Class: Grade 2 Math and ELA, Grades 3-5 Math, ELA and Science, Grades 6-12 Math, ELA/ENG, Science, and Social Studies.
Description: Taken online. The Case Assessment is a multiple choice/multiple select assessment designed to show if students are meeting grade level expectations.
Use of Data: The results are provided to teachers and school administrators to help them address the instructional needs of their students. They may be used as one measure of student achievement during the current school year.
Tentative Dates: Grades 3-8: November 1-17, 2023, Grades 3-12: February 28 - March 14, 2024, Grades 9-12: December 4-15, 2023
Testing Times: 45-75 minutes
Parental/Student Notification: Results will be available within 1 week after testing.
Grades: No grades are given on this assessment for Elementary and Middle Schools. High School level assessment will count 15% of 1st semester grade.
MSAA (TCAP-Alt)
Purpose: To provide an alternate assessment aligned to the Tennessee state Standards for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Grade Level/Class: 3-8, 11
Description: The Multi-State Alternate Assessment (MSAA) is a comprehensive assessment system designed to promote increasing higher academic outcomes for students with significant cognitive disabilities in preparation for a broader array of post-secondary outcomes. The MSAA is designed to assess students with significant cognitive disability and measures academic content that is aligned to and derived from your state’s content standards. This test contains many built-in supports that allow students to take the test using materials they are most familiar with and communicate what they know and can do as independently as possible. The MSAA will be administered in the areas of ELA and Mathematics in grades 3-8 and 11.
Use of Data: The results are provided to teachers and school administrators to help them address the instructional needs of their students. They may be used as one measure of student achievement during the current school year.
Dates: EOC-Alt - Fall: December 4-20, 2023, TCAP & EOC-Alt - Spring: April 15 - May 17, 2024
Testing Times: Untimed. Test administrators may pause testing to take a break at any time. They have the entire window to complete testing.
Parental/Student Notification: A paper report concerning performance on specific objectives (criterion-referenced) and a description of student performance on academic skills based on the grade span standards (performance levels) is sent home six week after testing.
Grades: No grades are given on this assessment.
NAEP
Purpose: To compare student achievement in states and other jurisdictions and to track changes in achievement of fourth and eighth-graders over time in the areas of Mathematics, Reading, Science, Writing, the Arts, Civics, Economics, Geography, U.S. History, and beginning in 2014, in Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL).
Grade Level/Class: 4, 8,12
Description: The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas.
Use of Data: The reports and data derived from the NAEP assessment are used for a variety of purposes by education leaders, policymakers, the press, curriculum specialists, teachers, researchers, and others.
Dates: January 29 - March 8, 2024 (*randomly selected students and schools)
Testing Times: 90 minutes
Parental/Student Notification: NAEP does not provide individual scores for the students or schools assessed. Instead, NAEP provides results about subject-matter achievement, instructional experiences, and school environment, and reports these results for populations of students (e.g., fourth-graders) and subgroups of specific populations. These results are reported approximately six months after testing.
Grades: No grades are given on this assessment.
RTI Behavioral Screening
Purpose: To assess overall behavioral risk factors and assist schools with identifying students who many need additional behavioral support.
Grade Level/Class: K-8
Description: The Student Risk Screening Scale-Internalizing and Externalizing (SRSS-IE) is a universal screening assessment. It is recommended for schools implementing Tennessee’s RTI2-B (Response to Instruction and Intervention for Behavior) framework.
Use of Data: Results are shared with School Counselors and RTI2-B Teams to assess the overall behavioral health of the school and student progress toward meeting age-expected behavioral expectations; data is also used in conjunction with other measures to identify students in need of targeted behavioral intervention and supports in additional to Tier 1 behavioral supports.
Dates: Fall: September 11-22, 2023, Winter: December 1-15, 2023, Spring: April 8-19, 2024
Testing Times: Likert scale completed by teacher; approximately 15-20 minutes per teacher.
Parental/Student Notification: Parents are notified during online registration and have the option to opt out. Parents will receive notification if their child is identified to be in need of additional behavioral interventions and supports.
Grades: No grades are given on this assessment.
RTI Screening
Purpose: To assess the performance and progress of all students on grade level skills and assist schools with identifying students who may need additional instructional support.
Grade Level/Class: K-8
Description: RTI Screener is the universal screening and progress monitoring tool Rutherford County will use for the 2023-2024 school year. It is a nationally-normed assessment and a requirement of Tennessee's RTI² (Response to Instruction and Intervention) framework.
Use of Data: Identify students who may be in need of targeted intervention in addition to their typical high-quality core instruction.
Tentative Dates: Fall: August 14-25, 2023, Winter: December 4-15, 2023, Spring: May 6-17, 2024.
Testing Times: From 1-30 minutes depending on subtest taken. The number of subtests vary by grade level.
Parental/Student Notification: Parents will receive notification from their school if the results of the universal screener indicate their child meets the requirements for additional academic support and intervention(s). If a student qualifies for instructional intervention, his/her parents will be notified of their child’s progress every 4.5 weeks.
Grades: No grades are given on this assessment.
TCAP/EOC
Purpose: To measure skills in Reading, Language Arts, and Mathematics
Grade Level/Class: 2-8; ENG I, II; Integrated Math I, II, III
Description: It is a criterion-referenced test which measures a student's performance according to Tennessee state standards, rather than to the performance of other test takers. EOCs and grades 6-8 will be administered online and grades 2-5 will be administered paper/pencil tests
Use of Data: The results are provided to teachers and school administrators to help them address the instructional needs of their students. They may be used as one measure of student achievement during the current school year.
Tentative Dates: EOC Fall: Nov. 27 - Dec. 14, 2023, Grades 2-5: April 15-30, 2024 Grades 6-8 and EOC: April 15 - May 3, 2024
Testing Times: ELA 180-200 minutes Grades 3-5; 230 minutes Grades 6-12; Math 115 minutes Grades 3-5, 125 minutes Grades 6-8, 145 minutes EOCs.
Parental/Student Notification: A paper report concerning performance on specific objectives (criterion-referenced) and a description of student performance on academic skills based on the grade span standards (performance levels) is typically sent home five to six weeks after testing. Initial results may be noted on the student’s report card if the quick scores can be obtained from the State in time.
Grades: The results of these assessments will be factored into the student’s final grade at 15% for students in grades 2-12.
TCAP Science
Purpose: To measure a student’s performance on the Tennessee state standards associated with Science.
Grade Level/Class: 3-8; Biology
Description: It is a criterion-referenced test which measures a student's performance according to Tennessee state standards, rather than to the performance of other test takers. All Grade Bands will be administered paper & pencil tests.
Use of Data: The results are provided to teachers and school administrators to help them address the instructional needs of their students. They may be used as one measure of student achievement during the current school year.
Dates: Testing window Grades 3-5: April 15-30, 2024, Grades 6-8 and EOC: April 15 - May 3, 2024
Testing Times: 50-75 minutes Grades 3-4; 75 minutes Grades 5-8; 75 minutes for Biology.
Parental/Student Notification: A paper report concerning performance on specific objectives (criterion-referenced) and a description of student performance on academic skills based on the grade span standards (performance levels) is typically sent home five to six months after testing. Initial results may be noted on the student’s report card if the quick scores can be obtained from the State in time.
Grades: The results of these assessments will be factored into the student’s final grade at 15% for students in grades 3-12.
TCAP Social Studies and EOC US History
Purpose: To measure a student’s performance on the Tennessee state standards associated with the Social Studies and US History.
Grade Level/Class: 6-8; U.S. History
Description: It is a criterion-referenced test which measures a student's performance according to Tennessee state standards, rather than to the performance of other test takers. All Grade Bands will be administered paper pencil tests.
Use of Data: The results are provided to teachers and school administrators to help them address the instructional needs of their students. They may be used as one measure of student achievement during the current school year.
Tentative Dates: Testing window Grades 6-8: April 15 - May 3, 2024, EOC: April 15 - May 3, 2024
Testing Times: Paused for Grades 3-4; 75 minutes Grades 5-8; 90 minutes for US History.
Parental/Student Notification: A paper report concerning performance on specific objectives (criterion-referenced) and a description of student performance on academic skills based on the grade span standards (performance levels) is typically sent home five to six months after testing. Initial results may be noted on the student’s report card if the quick scores can be obtained from the State in time.
Grades: The results of these assessments will be factored into the student’s final grade at 15% for students in grades 6-12.
TSIC (CTE)
Purpose: For every student to graduate high school prepared to be successful in the workforce or in aligned postsecondary programs. Students with an elective focus in career and technical education (CTE) programs of study should culminate in the achievement of a state-recognized industry certification, a robust work-based learning experience, and/or attainment of postsecondary credit hours through early postsecondary opportunities.
Grade: High School
Description: In collaboration with key partners, is to develop Tennessee Specific Industry
Certifications (TSICs) aligned to the courses in programs of study with the most need of industry certification.
Use of Data: The course content and certification exam are aligned to postsecondary standards and provide the opportunity to earn both industry credentialing and postsecondary credit. TSIC work group members representing Tennessee’s postsecondary, secondary, and industry organizations developed learning outcomes or objectives and a capstone certification exam.
Dates: April 15 - May 3, 2024
Testing Times: 120 Minutes
Grades: Both postsecondary credit and industry credentialing.
United States Citizenship and Immigration Test
Purpose: To comply with Tennessee State law T.C.A 49-6-408A requiring all students to participate in the United States Citizenship and immigration test during a student's high school career.
Grade Level/Class: 12/Government and Civics and/or JROTC
Description: All students receiving a regular education diploma as part of their graduation requirements will take an at least 50 question Civics test created by Rutherford County Schools in accordance with Tennessee State law T.C.A 49-6-408A consisting of 29 questions on American government and at least 16 questions on American history and at least 7 questions on integrated civics. A passing grade is not required to meet graduation requirements; however, all schools in which seniors receiving a regular education diploma all earn a passing grade of 70% or higher on the Civics test will be recognized by the state department of education as a U.S. Civics All-Star School. Students may be required to take the test multiple times at the discretion of their individual high school in order to meet the U.S. Civics All-Star School requirement.
Use of Data: Data from the Civics test will be used to comply with Tennessee State law T.C.A 49-6-408A. In addition, data from the Civics test will be used by individual high schools to determine changes that need to be made to the daily teaching within the Government and Civics class along with JROTC.
Tentative Dates: Testing dates are determined by each individual high school.
Testing Times: 60 minutes
Parental/Student Notification: Parents and Students will be notified by the high school they attend of testing dates. Paper copies of the score is available upon request from the student's school.
Grades: The impact of the Civics test on a student’s classroom grade is at the discretion of each individual high school.
WorkKeys
Purpose: The assessments measure foundational skills required for success in the workplace, and help measure the workplace skills that can affect job performance.
Grade Level/Class: High School
Description: WorkKeys® assessments are developed to solve actual workplace problems. They measure a range of hard and soft skills relevant to any occupation, at any level, and across industries.
Use of Data: Successful completion of WorkKeys core assessments can lead to earning an ACT WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate™ (ACT WorkKeys NCRC®)—a credential that verifies the skills found to be most essential across industries and occupations. Tens of thousands of employers recognize the value of the NCRC, and many recommend the credential to candidates.
Dates: January 8-26, 2024
Testing Times: Assessments are web-based and most take one hour.
Parental/Student Notification: Individuals who successfully complete the three WorkKeys assessments Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents—earn the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate®
Grades: WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate®
YouScience Snapshot
Purpose: Help middle schools students discover, affirm and explore their talents so that they can make more informed decisions about their high school coursework and future careers.
Grade Level/Class: 8th & 9th grade
Description: Youscience is an online 5 aptitude assessment & 60 question interest survey.
Use of Data: Measures some aptitudes that are most critical in determining career success in Numerical reasoning, Sequential Reasoning, Spatial Visualization, Timeframe Orientation and Visual Comparison Speed. Gives students personalized career field matching with in depth information about careers within the field including salary, projected openings and education requirements.
Dates: testing Window is January 8-26, 2024
Testing Times: TBD
Parental/Student Notification: Parents, students and their administrator (typically a teacher or guidance counselor) may access reports online.
Grades: No grades are given for this assessment.
2023-24 District Assessment Calendar
2023-24 TCAP Achievement/EOC Testing times