Grades 3-8 TCAP Achievement Assessments

REQUIRED BY STATE OF TENNESSEE
 
 
Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP)
 

Grades 3-8 TCAP Achievement Assessments

 
Annual assessments play a key role in the teaching and learning process, and they are critical to ensure that all students are meeting higher standards and are making progress on their path to postsecondary and the workforce. The TCAP assessments are designed to provide Tennessee students, teachers, and families with better information about what students know and understand.
 
Each test (by subject) is divided into multiple subparts and will be administered on paper in a single administration window at the end of the school year.
  • English language arts will consist of multiple choice and selected response items, as well as reading from texts and providing a written response. 
  • Mathematics will consist of multiple choice, multiple select, equation editor, matching tables, and graphing representations.
  • Science will measure current content standards and consist of multiple choice items.
  • Social Studies will be administered in grades 6-8 but not grades 3-5.
  • Some middle school students will take End of Course (EOC) exams if they are enrolled in high school courses.
 
Required
Yes
 
Applicable Federal/State Law
Administered in accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 and T.C.A. § 49-1-602 pertaining to district and school accountability.  Modified assessments in Braille and large print are also provided in accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990.
 
For Middle School students seeking High School credit, the State Board of Education High School Policy 2.103 – 5.b.iii states the following pertaining to End of Course (EOC) examinations.
  • End of Course Examinations. End of Course examinations will be administered in the following subjects: English I, English II, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Integrated Math I, Integrated Math II, Integrated Math III, U.S. History, and Biology I.
    • The state will report scores for schools and school systems for academic achievement and academic gain.
    • Students will take the examinations in the semester they complete the relevant course work or at the earliest available test administration. Only students who are enrolled in a course with an associated End of Course examination shall take the End of Course examination. Students enrolled in a substituting course without an End of Course examination explicitly tied to the State Board of Education approved content standards of that course shall not take an End of Course examination. This exemption applies to all substituting courses, including, but not limited to Advanced Placement, Cambridge AICE, International Baccalaureate, local and statewide dual enrollment, and local and statewide dual credit courses. 
    • Students enrolled in a course with an associated End of Course examination must take the examination to receive credit for the course.  
 
Purpose & Use
The TCAP tests are designed to assess true student understanding and not just basic memorization and test-taking skills. TCAP measures student understanding of our state standards. See more at: https://www.tn.gov/education/assessment/tnready.html.
 
Administration Window
  • April 17-May 2, 2023 (grades 3-5 - paper) 
  • April 17-May 5, 2023 (grades 6-8 - on-line)

 

Looking ahead: 

  • Test schedules are dependent on the testing windows issued by the Tennessee Department of Education and will be updated by July 31 of each year. They will likely mirror the dates above but cannot be confirmed until after the information is released by TDOE.
    • April 15-April 30, 2024 (grades 3-5 - paper) 
    • April 15-May 3, 2024 (grades 6-8 - on-line)
 
Length of Assessment
Each test part (by subject) is divided into multiple subparts.(Subject to change)
 
Grade 3
  • English Language Arts: 180 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 80 minutes (writing)
    • Subpart 2: 30 minutes
    • Subpart 3: 40 minutes
    • Subpart 4: 30 minutes
  • Mathematics: 115 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 45 minutes (no calc)
    • Subpart 2: 30 minutes (calculator)
    • Subpart 3: 40 minutes (calculator)
  • Science: 50 minutes total 
    • Subpart 1: 50 minutes
Grade 4
  • English Language Arts: 180 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 80 minutes (writing)
    • Subpart 2: 30 minutes
    • Subpart 3: 40 minutes
    • Subpart 4: 30 minutes
  • Mathematics: 115 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 45 minutes (no calc)
    • Subpart 2: 30 minutes (calculator)
    • Subpart 3: 40 minutes (calculator)
  • Science: 50 minutes total 
    • Subpart 1: 50 minutes
Grade 5
  • English Language Arts: 200 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 80 minutes (writing)
    • Subpart 2: 40 minutes
    • Subpart 3: 40 minutes
    • Subpart 4: 40 minutes
  • Mathematics: 115 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 45 minutes (no calc)
    • Subpart 2: 30 minutes (calculator)
    • Subpart 3: 40 minutes (calculator)
  • Science: 90 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 45 minutes
    • Subpart 2: 45 minutes
Grade 6
  • English Language Arts: 230 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 85 minutes (writing)
    • Subpart 2: 50 minutes
    • Subpart 3: 50 minutes
    • Subpart 4: 45 minutes
  • Mathematics: 125 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 40 minutes (no calc)
    • Subpart 2: 35 minutes (calculator)
    • Subpart 3: 50 minutes (calculator)
  • Science: 90 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 45 minutes
    • Subpart 2: 45 minutes
  • Social Studies: 100 minutes (Grades 6-8 only)
    • Subpart 1: 50 minutes
    • Subpart 2: 50 minutes
Grade 7
  • English Language Arts: 230 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 85 minutes (writing)
    • Subpart 2: 50 minutes
    • Subpart 3: 50 minutes
    • Subpart 4: 45 minutes
  • Mathematics: 125 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 40 minutes (no calc)
    • Subpart 2: 35 minutes (calculator)
    • Subpart 3: 50 minutes (calculator)
  • Science: 90 minutes total 
    • Subpart 1: 45 minutes
    • Subpart 2: 45 minutes
  • Social Studies: 100 minutes (Grades 6-8 only)
    • Subpart 1: 50 minutes
    • Subpart 2: 50 minutes
Grade 8
  • English Language Arts: 230 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 85 minutes (writing)
    • Subpart 2: 50 minutes
    • Subpart 3: 50 minutes
    • Subpart 4: 45 minutes
  • Mathematics: 125 minutes total
    • Subpart 1: 40 minutes (no calc)
    • Subpart 2: 35 minutes (calculator)
    • Subpart 3: 50 minutes (calculator)
  • Science: 90 minutes total 
    • Subpart 1: 45 minutes
    • Subpart 2: 45 minutes
  • Social Studies: 100 minutes (Grades 6-8 only)
    • Subpart 1: 50 minutes
    • Subpart 2: 50 minutes
Results to Parents & Students
 
Raw data is provided to districts at the very end of the school year. This information may be used to help calculate final grades for report cards. State law requires TCAP scores be included as a percentage of a student’s grade in grades 3–8. Districts do have the flexibility, as provided in state law, to exclude TNReady data from student grades if the data is not available at least five instructional days before the last day for students.
 

Score reports from the school year for grades 3-8 assessments will be provided to districts in the fall following testing to distribute to parents. Parents may also register for the Parent Portal. 

 
For additional information, please refer to this link from TDOE.