TOP 10 Math Resources for TCAP TNReady

Resources/References/Listicle/OngoingSeries

TCAP TNReady is fast upon us. Most schools have a little over 2 weeks to get ready for the annual assessment.  As H. Jackson Brown, Jr. quoted, “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”  Therefore, it is important to note Tennessee teachers and students have been preparing for this test since the very first day of school. However, as crunch time is upon us, teachers are winding down new instruction and gearing up for review. Therefore, as a math guru and Tennessee gal extraordinaire (Myself, 2017), I have attempted to provide you a list of my favorite Top 10 Resources for TCAP TNReady.  
I hope this list will give teachers not only resources, but solace as they prepare their students to do their best on the big day.

1.  The Mathematics Assessment Blueprints

Beginning with the end in mind…. Assessment Blueprints (found here) are designed to show educators a summary of what will be assessed in each grade/course.  The blueprints are a chart that lists the standard domain and cluster level, as well as ranges that will address each strand for number of items, number of score points, and the percentage of the test . This resource is designed to help educators as they plan for the beginning of each school year. However, as time is reduced to a minimum, teachers should revisit the Blueprints in order to determine greatest areas of need.

Items to note:

•        A common misconception surrounding the Blueprints was that the far-left column indicated all the standards that would be assessed on TNReady. However, this column actually only lists the domain and the cluster level, not the actual wording of the entire standard.  Thus, educators must use the Blueprints as an accompanying tool to the standards document. 
•           * All assessments must have a minimum of 50 score points.
•       ** Cluster with (**) indicate the MAJOR work of the grade.

2. Tennessee’s State Mathematics Standards

Teachers and students should revisit their original list of mathematics standards (found here) to ensure all aspects of the document have been taught.  In addition, teachers should be aware of standards that students have not mastered and reteach as needed. 

3.  EdTools

EdTools (found here) is a storehouse of Tennessee specific content and resources. Here, teachers will find past training materials and released items, new Grade 2 assessment information and practice, and official TNReady Practice Tests for every tested grade, subject, and course. 

All teachers need is an official school email address and they will be able to create an account and access the content by following the provided prompts. 

4.  Calculator Policy; FAQ Calculator Policy; and Guidance for the Calculator-Prohibited Portion of TNReady 

These three documents outline the calculator policy for each grade band (3-5); (6-8); (9-12) as well as the rationale behind the policies.  The calculator policies can be found on page (6-7-8) of each grade band Blueprint (found here). The FAQ is (found here). The Guidance on the Calculator-Prohibited Portion Document (found here) was also part of the Blueprints document as an active link. However, many teachers had missed this document. Be sure to check it out to get general guidance on what to expect on both the non-calculator and calculator portion of TNReady.

 

5.  The Math Reference Sheet

There are math reference sheets available for grade 5-12.  Each math reference sheet is found as the last page in the Assessment Blueprints (found here).

6. 2016-2017 TNReady Item Types Document 

(released 3-31-17)

This document (found here) provides descriptions for the types of items that will be found on this year’s assessment.

  

For example, math will see

•     multiple choice
•     multiple select
•      integrated items
•     two-part items
•     graphing items
•      matching table

In addition, the document gives guidance on how each item type will be scored.

7.  Sample Item Release Document 

This document (found in EdTools here; may require password) was released 11-17-2016 to provide guidance for educators on the mathematics integrated items.  While integrated items are only field test items this year, this document lays the foundation for teachers and students are to expect on future assessments.  Integrated items will become operational items in the 2017-2018 school year. 

 8. 2016-2017 Testing Time Chart 

This document (found here) provides an overview of all testing times for the 2016-2017 TNReady Assessment.

9. FAQ 2016-2017 State Assessment Vendor Announcement

This FAQ (found here) discusses Tennessee’s transition from their contract with Measurement Inc./MIST/MICA to Questar/NEXTERA

10. Questar Research

In my search to find out more about Questar, I found that many states they have served in the past have a transparency agreement much like the one between Questar and Tennessee. Therefore, if you are looking for additional item examples, you can check out the links below:

1. Mississippi
2. North Carolina
3. New York
4. Indiana

However, I caution you to view these items through a sharp lens; remember Questar made their assessments to be individualized to meet each state’s unique set of standards. Thus, tests from other state would not align identically in content or rigor with the tests designed specifically for our TNReady assessments. 

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I hope today's resources have proven informative and beneficial for you.