MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - Students in Tennessee are getting smarter. The state's TCAP scores were announced Tuesday, June 26 and for the second straight year achievement gains on the statewide test improved.
According to Kevin Huffman, Tennessee's Education Commissioner, "We're seeing growth across all subject areas and all grade levels."
Huffman said he was really impressed with the growth in math and science. Students across Tennessee reached higher levels of proficiency in 23 of 24 TCAP tests. Huffman said, "55,000 additional elementary and middle school kids are on grade level in math and that's a really big deal. That's going to change those kids' academic trajectory."
The Education Commissioner said the upward trajectory can be attributed to "new higher standards for kids. We have a lot of investments through race to the top and I think all of those things in concert are driving the results higher," he said.
Also higher were the math scores of high school kids. "We're really excited about Algebra 1 and Algebra 2," Huffman said, "In Algebra 1 we saw very big gains and in Algebra 2 we saw gains and those gains came in a year when 10,000 additional kids took Algebra 2 across the state."
TCAP scores for Memphis and Shelby County won't be released until July.
