State Assessment Results Show Sustained Momentum in Achievement for Students Statewide

2025-26 TCAP Results Demonstrate Strong Gains in Multiple Subject Areas; State-Level Data Now Available

Nashville-Today, the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) released the 2025-26 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) state-level results, showing growth in academic proficiency among students statewide. Third grade student achievement reached its highest level since at least 2017 in English Language Arts (ELA), and fourth graders also made substantial proficiency gains in mathematics.

These statewide results include exams in English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, and social studies, but do not include science, which is in a standard-setting year. View the state-level overview and find the full 2025-26 TCAP assessment data on TDOE's Data Downloads webpage in the State Assessments section under the Assessment Files tab.

"Tennessee's strategic investments in education have led to promising progress for students in multiple subjects and grade levels," said Governor Bill Lee. "As we advance our efforts to ready students for success both in school and in life, Tennessee remains dedicated to supporting teachers and empowering families through diverse pathways to achievement, ensuring every student has an opportunity to succeed."

2025-26 State Level TCAP Highlights

English Language Arts (ELA)

• 3.2 percentage point increase from last year's proficiency rate for third grade
• 2.7 percentage point increase from last year's proficiency rate for eighth grade
• 3.8 percentage point increase from last year's proficiency rate in English II

Math

• 3.6 percentage point increase from last year's proficiency for fourth grade
• 5.6 percentage point increase from last year's Geometry proficiency for high school

Social Studies

• 11.4 percentage point increase statewide since 2019
• 3.4 percentage point increase from last year's proficiency for sixth grade
• 3.0 percentage point increase from last year's proficiency for seventh grade
• 3.8 percentage point increase from last year's proficiency for U.S. History

In July, individual student data will be available in the TCAP Family Portal. Families can use the portal to obtain additional information to better understand their students' individual score reports and the next steps for supporting their students' academic progress. View TDOE's assessment webpage for more information.

Sustaining Student Success

During a special legislative session in 2021, Governor Bill Lee and the General Assembly enacted the Tennessee Literacy Success Act and the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act, which ensured that students would recover from post-pandemic learning loss. Tennessee students have surpassed prior TCAP proficiency rates across content areas as schools continue to focus on learning acceleration.

Tennessee has invested in strong student supports, such as early literacy training, summer learning camps, and high-dosage tutoring, along with ongoing professional learning opportunities for educators, all of which have supported year-over-year gains in student proficiency. The upward trajectory in proficiency has been evident not only in the early grades but also in recent improvements in achievement and sustained momentum across content areas in middle school.

Looking Ahead

TDOE values the investments made by the Tennessee General Assembly to support effective strategies that lead to improved student outcomes. Ongoing professional development for school leaders and educators through CORE regional supports, learning networks, and training opportunities, along with sustained funding for direct student supports, all contribute to the year-over-year gains in proficiency.

"I am very proud of our gains in student achievement, highlighting our success in implementing strategies that elevate learning across all grades and subjects. This continued progress ensures every Tennessee student has the opportunity to succeed," said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education. "We sincerely thank our educators and districts for their unwavering dedication to helping students succeed every day, ensuring that high-quality instruction and data-driven support continue to accelerate learning for all."

To build on this momentum and drive further improvement, TDOE invites K-8 educators to attend in-person Math Trainings across the state this summer, with a focus on standards-based math progressions, high-quality materials, and content knowledge. Additionally, TDOE will host several training sessions, including "Building Powerful Literacy Instruction: ELN 2.0 Summer Teacher Learning Series."

For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contact [email protected].

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