MNPS reports historic TCAP gains; director cites sustained progress

MNPS reports historic TCAP gains; director cites sustained progress At a Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education meeting, Dr. Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools, and Dr. Tina Stinson, executive officer of research, assessment and evaluation, presented data the district described as the highest academic performance since the adoption of the new state standards, with multi-year gains across grades and subjects. The presentation matters because the results affect curriculum planning, resource allocation and district messages to families and community partners as the district prepares for the 2025–26 school year. Dr. Stinson walked the board through year‑over‑year changes and four‑year gains for grades 3–8 and end‑of‑course tests. She reported percentage-point changes from 2021 to 2025 that the district highlighted: English language arts from 29.6% to 31.2% meeting or exceeding, math from 29.3% to 31.9%, science from 32.3% to 33.7% and social studies from 33.7% to 38%. She said integrated math 1–3 and several end‑of‑course subjects posted double‑digit gains since 2021 and that the district outpaced statewide percentage‑point gains in most areas. Dr. Battle framed the numbers as the result of sustained district work, noting a record graduation rate in 2024 and other indicators of progress. The board was told that preACT administration will expand to all middle and high schools and that resources for families are available through a parent dashboard and the district website. Board members raised follow‑up questions about specific student groups. Member Elrod pressed on students with disabilities, noting that those groups had not yet achieved “green” status on some slides; Dr. Stinson and Dr. Battle said those groups have seen gains over multiple years and that cohort differences and testing‑population changes can affect year‑to‑year percentages. Dr. Stinson said some data (for example DLM results) were not yet factored into the public slides and that school‑level data remained temporarily embargoed; the district said it will return with more granular, grade‑level information at a later meeting. No formal board action was taken on the data; the presentation was informational. Members and staff described both celebration and a continued focus on groups that still trail overall gains. Quote examples from the recorded presentation: • Dr. Tina Stinson: "We outpaced the state in percentage point gains. That is pretty impressive and sustained progress." (presentation of TCAP and end‑of‑course data) • Member Elrod: "The students with disabilities ... are still not in the green. Have we identified why there are these consistent reasons...?" (question during discussion) The meeting also noted MNPS received a 2025 ACT Policy Exemplar award, which district leaders said recognized the district’s K–12 ACT strategic plan and alignment work. Looking ahead, the district said it will lift the embargo on certain school‑level data at a later date, post more data to the parent dashboard, and return to the board with additional grade‑level analysis and continuing plans to target groups still below district targets. Board members and staff emphasized that the gains reflect multi‑year curriculum, assessment and professional‑learning work rather than a single change in practice.