Director of Schools Concerned about TCAP Testing Procedures

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

The testing procedure for the new Common Core curriculum is “technology heavy,” said Director of Schools Amy Lonas at the July 6 working session of the Franklin County School Board. Lonas, who began as the director on June 15, was discussing the challenges that the new assessment standard would pose. She also provided an overview of TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program) results for the 2014–15 school year.

Under the Common Core assessment standard scheduled to begin with the 2015–16 school year, all testing to measure student achievement will be done on a computer. Lonas said the school system has enough computers to conduct the testing, but she expressed concern there were not enough computers to allow for sufficient “practice.” Schools would need to adjust computer lab scheduling to provide students with practice time, she said.

“Third-graders must be able to type” to take the test, Lonas said, pointing to an additional challenge.

Reviewing statewide TCAP results, Lonas said there were positive gains in math and science at all grade levels, gains in English at the high school level, and gains in language arts for grades seven and eight, but grades three through six showed a decline in language arts skills. Data for individual school systems was still embargoed, Lonas said, but performance in the Franklin County Schools usually followed state trends. Local school system data will be released the week of July 27.

The board reviewed several policy changes proposed by the Tennessee School Boards Association: changing the date of notification for teachers who would not be rehired from June 15 to five days after the last instructional day; providing for reassignment of a student abused by another student; and allowing students suffering from pancreatic insufficiency and cystic fibrosis to self-medicate. These proposed policy changes were added to the consent agenda for approval at the July 13 meeting. Also added to the consent agenda was a revised “use of facilities” form requiring non-school leagues that use the football field on Dinah Shore Boulevard to pay $50 per day.

The board revisited the revised corporal punishment policy scheduled for a second-reading vote at the July 13 meeting. The policy states disciplinary records must contain information on “the type of corporal punishment” used. 

Board member Adam Tucker, who drafted the revised policy, said the original policy contained the same requirement. Tucker suggested school principals be contacted to find out how they had been documenting instances of corporal punishment. The board discussed omitting the reference if there was no legal reason to include it.

Board Chair Kevin Caroland noted that the system was spending “thousands of dollars a year” because of late fee assessments on utility bills. Franklin County Deputy Finance Director Cynthia Latham said frequently the bills were not received until the due date. The board will discuss the issue with Winchester Utilities, in hope of finding a solution.

Lonas announced that interviews would be conducted this week for the position of principal at Sewanee Elementary School (SES). The Sewanee Leadership Team will participate in the interview process. The team consists of SES teachers Rebecca Bentancourt (kindergarten), Katherine Bruce (librarian) and Kim Foster (fifth grade). The team was assembled at the suggestion of retired SES Principal Mike Maxon.