Governor responds to teacher concern over TNReady

JACKSON, Tenn. — After an attempt at a computerized testing system for students across the state failed in its first try, Gov. Bill Haslam is saying teachers shouldn’t be punished because of it.

The governor’s release says, under his proposal, “Teachers would have the choice to include or not to include student results from the 2015 – 2016 TNReady assessment in his or her evaluation’s core.”

School officials said they believe most teachers in the district are relieved after the governor’s announcement because the TNReady test was already such a new process.

“It’s hard to know, to get the feel, for the kids to get the feel of it, just in the way they take the test for one thing,” JMCSS Spokesperson Ginger Carver said.

Barbara Gray, president of the Tennessee Education Association, said in a statement, “It is encouraging to see the governor listen to the widespread calls from educators, parents, and local school boards …” She goes on to say, “The proposal is a step in the right direction, however these measurements have proven to be unreliable statistical estimates for use in teacher evaluations at all.”

Carver said the school system is confident teachers in the district will do whatever is necessary to complete the assessment.

The testing in Jackson-Madison County was originally scheduled in part to begin in February and has now been moved to March. School officials said the state is in the process of printing out written tests for the students.