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It’s TCAP Time in Tennessee

Published April 22, 2015

Starting Friday, May 1, thousands of Williamson County students will participate in the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). Descriptions are given below, and more information is available on the WCS website’s assessment page.

Per state law and WCS School Board policy, scores from the TCAP Achievement tests comprise 15 percent of the second semester final grade for each content area. Scores from the TCAP End-of-Course exams are used as the final exam grade, which accounts for 25 percent of the second semester average. In addition, results from all TCAP tests will be used in determining each student’s learning path for the future school year.

“The results we receive after testing allow students, parents, teachers, counselors and administrators to make informed decisions for the next year,” said WCS Assessment Analyst Kevin Deck. “Identifying areas of strength and challenge can drive enrichment or remediation plans. The detailed scoring reports can help us identify mastery of the previous year’s learning targets, and that in turn helps in planning each student’s course of study.”

Study and Practice Resources

Although each school has its own plan for TCAP preparation, additional practice items can be found on the TDOE’s TCAP site.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of 10 test-taking tips provided by the Tennessee Department of Education.

  1. Get a good night’s rest and eat a normal breakfast before testing.
  2. Arrive at school on time, stay relaxed and think positively.
  3. Read and pay careful attention to all directions.
  4. Read every possible answer – the best one could be last.
  5. Decide exactly what the question is asking; one response is clearly best.
  6. Read and respond to items one at a time rather than thinking about the whole test.
  7. Don’t expect to find a pattern in the positions of the correct answers.
  8. Don’t spend too much time on any one question.
  9. Don’t make uneducated guesses. Try to get the correct answer by reasoning and eliminating wrong answers.
  10. Skip difficult questions until all other questions have been answered. On scrap paper, keep a record of the unanswered items to return to, if time permits. After completing the test, use any remaining time to check your answers.

TCAP Achievement Tests

Students in grades three through eight take the Achievement tests, and the testing window for Williamson County Schools runs from May 1 through May 7. These three tests are timed, multiple-choice assessments that measure skills in reading and language arts, mathematics, and science. Social studies is not included this year as it was field tested in April.

TCAP End-of-Course Exams

Students in certain high school courses – Algebra I and II; English I, II and III; Biology I; and chemistry – participate in the End-of-Course exams. These tests are untimed, multiple-choice assessments that measure student performance against the standards. The EOC testing window for Williamson County Schools runs May 4 through May 8. US History is not included this year as it was field tested in April.