TN Ready test scores will not impact student’s final grades

TN Ready test scores will not impact student’s final grades this year in DeKalb County
The Board of Education took that action Thursday night during the regular monthly meeting held at Smithville Elementary School.
“The state department of education sent out a memo basically stating they were leaving it up to each county as to whether they wanted to count test scores on final grades. Teachers also have the option whether to count that toward their observation score. I would recommend that we do not count their test scores as part of their grade,” said Director of Schools Patrick Cripps.
TNReady was originally an online test.
But when students across the state logged on in February to take the exam, the system crashed. It was later deemed that students would take a pencil and paper version of TNReady, which had to be shipped to school districts all over Tennessee.
Several school districts had asked the state to exclude the test stores from affecting teacher evaluations.
Many believe the changes to the test would result in poor test scores.
Teachers across the state have now been given the option to decide whether to link the test scores to their evaluations and it’s up to each school district to decide whether the test scores will impact students’ final grades.
Meanwhile in other action, the Board voted to change the pay date for Central Office staff along with maintenance employees, the Transportation Supervisor, and mechanics starting with the 2016-17 school year.
The action taken will adjust the pay cycle for these employees who are affected by pre-payment of salary in advance of work being performed.
Director of Schools Cripps said the change would affect about 23 employees. “There have been concerns about paying those employees in advance. I have talked with our fiscal consultant and he said there is nothing illegal with paying them in July. What I would recommend is to pay those employees the 15th of each month instead of the 5th of each month. This would not apply to teachers,” he said.
These employees will receive one check per month on the 15th of the month from July 15 to June 15 each year.
In his monthly report on personnel, Director Cripps announced that Libby McCormick, Librarian at Northside Elementary School, has been granted a leave as requested and that Christopher Moore, Educational Assistant at DeKalb Middle School has resigned.