Shelby County Schools participates in the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). The TCAP currently includes the elementary achievement test (Achievement Test ), the Writing Test and the End of Course / Gateway Tests.

TCAP Achievement Test (Grades 3-8)
Each spring, Tennessee students in Grades 3-8 take the TCAP Achievement Test. This test measures a student’s academic knowledge and skills in mathematics, reading/language arts, science, and social studies. The TCAP Achievement Test contains multiple-choice questions and has set time limits. There is no passing or failing score on the test.

The TCAP Achievement Test provides criterion-referenced test scores required by the Federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. For additional information about the No Child Left Behind act, visit the NCLB Web page at http://www.ed.gov/parents.

Criterion-referenced test scores are used to measure how well a student has learned Tennessee’s state curriculum rather than how the student compares with a national group. Criterion-referenced scores are also used to identify student areas of strength or need. For additional information on the Tennessee curriculum and what your child should be learning at his or her grade level, visit the Teaching and Learning Web page at http://wwwstatein.us/education/ci.

TCAP Writing Assessment, Grades 5, 8 and 11
The TCAP Writing Assessment is administered to fifth, eighth, and eleventh grade students in February each year. Students produce an essay on an assigned topic within a specified amount of time. Fifth grade students write a narrative essay that tell a story or recount an event or experience. In the eighth grade, students write an expository essay to explain something or provide the reader with information. Eleventh grade students write a persuasive essay to convince or influence the reader to agree with the writer's point of view. The purpose of this test is to help identify strengths and weaknesses in individual writing as well as to help identify group writing trends.

TCAP Competency Test (TCAP/CT)
The TCAP competency Test is a multiple-choice test designed to measure student achievement in certain skills in mathematics and language arts. The test consists of a mathematics sub-test and a language arts sub-test that includes sections on spelling, language and reading.

Prior to the fall semester of the 2001-2002 school year, all students entering the ninth grade must pass each sub-test before they can graduate with a regular diploma. Additional testing opportunities are available in the spring and summer for those needing to retake one or both subtests.

Students entering high school for the first time in the fall semester of the 2001-2002 school year and following years, will be required to take and pass the Gateway Tests in Mathematics, Science, and Language Arts in order to graduate with a regular diploma. The last scheduled administration of the Competency Test will be in the summer of 2004. After that, students who have not successfully passed the TCAP/CT will be required to pass the Gateway Tests for a regular diploma.

Gateway Tests / End of Course Assessments
On October 29, 1998, in compliance with TCA 49-1-608 and TCA 49-6-6001(a)(1), The State Board of Education designated ten high school courses for the development of End-of-Course examinations. The Select Oversight Committee on Education of the Tennessee General Assembly subsequently affirmed the State Board's recommendation.

To raise the academic bar for all high school students and add accountability for students' academic performance, Tennessee has adopted a testing program for End-of-Course Tests in key subjects. Beginning with freshmen entering high school in 2001-2002, students must pass three of these tests - Mathematics, Science and Language Arts - before graduation to earn a high school diploma. These three tests are referred to as Gateway Tests.

The revised End-of Course Assessment Program will include Algebra I (also taken by Math for Technology II students), Algebra II, Geometry, Math Foundations II, Biology I (also taken by Biology for Technology I students), Physical Science, Chemistry, English I, English II, and US History. All ten of the End-of-Course Assessments will count as part of the course grade for any student enrolled in the related course. Development of the Algebra II, Geometry, and Chemistry tests is currently on hold.

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Questions and Answers

Q. What are the Gateway tests?
A The Gateway tests are end-of-course tests in English II, Algebra I and Biology I which Tennessee students must pass as part of the requirements for earning a regular high school diploma, beginning with incoming high school freshmen in 2001-02.

Q. Will all students be required to take the Gateway tests to earn a regular diploma upon graduation from high school?
A Yes, once the requirement goes into effect, it applies to all students who intend to graduate with a regular diploma. The tests will also be made available to students in state-approved private schools.

Q. How will the requirement be applied to special education students?
A Special education students who successfully complete their Individualized Educational Program (IEP) and pass the three Gateway tests will earn a regular high school diploma. If they complete their IEP and fail any of the tests, they will be issued a special education diploma.

Q. How will the scores on the end-of-course tests be used?
A The test results will provide students, schools and school systems valuable information on how well their students are being prepared. To give students a stake in the outcome, State Board policy calls for students' end-of-course test scores to be made a part of their grades for those subjects. In Shelby County Schools, the Gateway test counts 15% of the student's grade.

Q. If a student fails a Gateway test, will that mean the student fails the course?
A No, the end-of-course tests, including those for the Gateway subjects, will only count as 15% of the course grade.

Q. How many times may a student take the Gateway tests?
A Students will be given additional opportunities throughout their high school career -- during the school year and in the summer -- to retake any of the Gateway tests failed. There will be three administrations of the test each year.

Q. Will remediation be available before a student retakes one of the Gateway tests?
A Shelby County Schools must provide researched-based intervention for a student who fails a Gateway test. This includes before or after school tutoring, summer school remediation, or taking a more appropriate course. Students who fail a Gateway test will be required to enroll in an elective credit course for intervention.

Q. May students use calculators, including graphing calculators, on the Gateway and end-of-course exams?
A Yes, calculators may be used. It is important to note, however, that the TI83, or its equivalent, is the highest level of calculator that may be used.

Q. Will home school students participate in Gateway and end-of-course tests?
A Yes, they will participate in these exams under the same guidelines used in public schools.

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Internet Links

Additional information on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) is available through Tennessee Department of Education website http://www.state.tn.us/education/assessment/
Additional information on ACT and SAT Exams is available through the following websites:
ACT - http://www.act.org
SAT - http://www.collegeboard.org

SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOLS
SYSTEM-WIDE TESTING SCHEDULE
2007-2008

DATE	TEST	GRADES
June 15, July 13 & Aug. 11, 2007	Placement Test (Home School & Non-Accredited Schools)	Grades 9-12
October 10-11, 2007	TCAP Competency Test**
November 13-16, 2007	Gateway Practice Tests Algebra Readiness Test	Grades 9-12 Grade 8
	Gateway Tests
December 4, 2007	Mathematics Test	Grades 9-12
December 5, 2007	Language Arts Test	Grades 9-12
December 6, 2007	Science Test	Grades 9-12
January 5, 2008	Placement Test (Home School & Non-Accredited Schools)	Grades 9-12
February 6, 2008	Writing Assessment	Grades 5,8,&11
February 12-13, 2008	TCAP Competency**
April 14-18, 2008	TCAP Achievement Test	Grades 3-8
	Gateway Tests
May 6, 2008	Mathematics Test	Grades 9-12
May 7, 2008	Language Arts Test	Grades 9-12
May 8, 2008	Science Test	Grades 9-12
	End-of Course Tests
May 13, 2008	English I, & US History	Grades 9-12
May 14, 2008	Math Fds II, & Physical Science	Grades 9-12
	Gateway Tests
July 15, 2008	Mathematics Test	Grades 9-12
July 16, 2008	Language Arts Test	Grades 9-12
July 17, 2008	Science Test	Grades 9-12
	EOC Tests
July 17, 2008*	English I, & Physical Science	Grades 9-12
July 18, 2008*	Math Fds II, & US History	Grades 9-12

*Dates must be within the last 10 days of summer school.

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2008-09 System-Wide Testing Dates - pdf