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College students in Memphis-Shelby County Colleges proceed to enhance on state standardized checks post-pandemic, with development in scores in most classes within the Tennessee Complete Evaluation Program, or TCAP, launched Tuesday.
In an emailed assertion, Memphis-Shelby County faculties celebrated “regular development” throughout nearly all grades and topics.
However studying and writing nonetheless pose a problem for 2 key teams. Highschool English proficiency within the state’s largest district dropped and the vast majority of third grade college students didn’t hit a essential studying benchmark.
These outcomes are a vibrant spot for the district following a state legislative battle over management of MSCS. Within the spring, Republican Rep. Mark White proposed a invoice to create a state-appointed board to handle the district for not less than 4 years, sharply criticizing its administration and efficiency. The hassle confronted harsh criticism from Memphis locals, and finally stalled within the Tennessee legislature.
“The 2025 TCAP outcomes mirror greater than a single 12 months’s progress,” the district stated in its assertion. “They affirm a long-term trajectory of enchancment and a deep-rooted perception that each scholar can obtain.”
The MSCS assertion stated district leaders “acknowledge areas of alternative, significantly within the slight decline in English I and II,” the highschool degree studying and writing programs.
The district reported that 24.6% of all college students met or exceeded expectations on TNReady studying assessments. That’s in comparison with 23.7% of scholars final 12 months.
And simply over 29% of scholars in grades 3-5 handed in studying. Tennessee regulation requires college students to be held again or join extra tutoring in the event that they don’t hit these studying proficiency marks, although earlier state knowledge exhibits only a few college students are retained after finishing intervention benchmarks like summer season applications and tutoring.
Over 21% of all MSCS college students additionally examined on monitor for math, up from 18.7% in 2024, MSCS leaders stated. Algebra I and II college students posted the biggest positive aspects.
“These will increase mirror the district’s continued emphasis on algebra readiness, together with the supply of Eighth-grade Algebra I and summer season Bridge Camps to organize college students for early success in superior math,” MSCS stated within the assertion.
Statewide, round 40% of scholars met or exceeded TCAP proficiency in each studying and math. The six unbiased faculty districts that encompass Memphis proceed to outperform MSCS throughout the board.
Final 12 months, properly over half of the suburban college students handed each math and studying sections. Right here’s this 12 months’s breakdown, for college kids in grades 3-8:
- Bartlett Metropolis Colleges: 48.6% handed TCAP studying, 55.6% handed in math
- Germantown Municipal Faculty District: 69% handed studying, 76.3% in math
- Arlington Neighborhood Colleges: 69.8% in studying, 72.8% in math
- Millington Municipal Colleges: 31.9% in studying, 33.4% in math
- Collierville Colleges: 69.2% handed in studying, 73.5% in math
- Lakeland Faculty System: 63.8% in studying, 66.4% in math
Interim Superintendent Dr. Roderick Richmond stated in a press release that “development just isn’t non-obligatory” for the Memphis faculty district.
“At MSCS, we’re not ready on greatness; we’re rising it,” he stated. “The information confirms what we already know: we’re on target. However good just isn’t our aim.”
Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Colleges for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Attain Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.
