Glossary
Glossary
ACT – The ACT is a standardized assessment for high school
students frequently required for admission into college.
The test has sections in English, mathematics, reading, science reasoning, and an optional written essay. Scored on a
scale from one to 36, the test is intended to be an indicator
of college readiness. The subjects align with common college
introductory courses. All 11th graders in Tennessee are required to take this exam.
ACT College Readiness Benchmarks – The ACT benchmarks
on subject-area tests represent the minimum score required
for students to have approximately a 50 percent chance of
earning a B or higher or about a 75 percent chance of earning
a C or higher in the corresponding college level course. The
ACT tests in English, math, reading, and science correspond
to college credit courses in English composition, Algebra, social sciences, and biology.
Advanced Placement (AP) – Advanced Placement courses are
courses offered by the College Board that provide students
with an opportunity to take college-level courses and earn
credit towards college while in high school. There are more
than 30 different AP courses across multiple subject areas.
Alternative Salary Schedule – Alternative salary schedules
tie a teacher’s compensation and incentives to professional
learning, student achievement, and other measures. They
contrast traditional salary schedules, which uniformly increase the pay of teachers based on number of years teaching
and level of degree completion.
Career and Technical Education (CTE)
– Also known as vocational education,
career and technical
education refers to
courses and programs designed to
prepare students to
enter the workforce. Usually in a secondary or postsecondary setting, CTE courses focus on academic and vocational
skills needed in the workplace and typically include competency-based learning. CTE seeks to prepare students for jobs
in fields such as agriculture, engineering, and health care.
Common Core State Standards – Tennessee’s Common Core
State Standards are a set of expectations for math and English language arts that were adopted in 2010. The standards
are part of a state-led effort to ensure all students have the
skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
Dual Credit – Dual credit courses are high school courses
taught by high school faculty that are aligned with the curriculum of a postsecondary course. Students taking a dual
credit course can receive postsecondary credit if they have
satisfactory performance on an end-of-course assessment
designed by the postsecondary institution.
Dual Enrollment – Dual enrollment is a postsecondary course
taught at either the postsecondary institution or high school
that allows students to simultaneously earn postsecondary
and secondary course credit upon successful completion of
the course.
End-of-Course Exams – Tennessee high schools administer
End-of-Course exams in English I, II, and III, Algebra I and II,
geometry, U.S. history, Biology I, chemistry, and physics. The
exams count for 25 percent of a student’s final grade.
International Baccalaureate (IB) – The International Baccalaureate is a non-profit foundation that offers four educational programs on a continuum for students aged three to
19: the Primary Years Program, the Middle Year Program,
the Diploma Program, and the Career-related Certificate.
IB students are encouraged to develop an understanding of
their own cultural and national identity.
National Asses sment of Educational Progress (NAEP) – Also
known as the Nation’s Report Card, NAEP is administered
by the National Center for Education Statistics in the subject
areas of mathematics, reading, science, writing, the arts,
civics, economics, geography, and U.S. history. Exams
are administered every two years to representative
samples of students in grades 4, 8, and 12, and provide
common metrics to indicate levels of student proficiency across states and selected urban districts.
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers (PARCC) – The Partnership for Assessment of
Readiness for College and Careers is a consortium of
states that are working together to develop common,
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Throughout 2013, the Tennessee
Department of Education, local
school districts, and research- based
advocacy organizations have
continued to focus on the importance
of fostering effective teaching.
computer-based assessments that are aligned with the Common Core State Standards. Beginning in 2014-15, PARCC
assessments will replace the TCAP math and reading exams.
Postsecondary Education – Postsecondary education refers to
colleges, universities, and technical centers that grant certificates, credentials, and degrees beyond a high school diploma.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) –
STEM is a common acronym for the fields of study of science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics. Beyond the subject areas, STEM education reflects an innovative approach
to teaching and learning that incorporates problem solving,
critical thinking, and real-world application of skills. Additionally, STEM education is about incorporating technology
in the classroom to enhance learning.
State Salary Schedule—Tennessee’s State Salary Schedule for
teachers is a minimum salary amount determined by years of
experience teaching and professional degrees earned.
Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) – The
Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) is a
collection of criterion-referenced
achievement tests designed to
evaluate the levels of students’
proficiency in reading/language
arts, math, science and social
studies. Among the assessments
are the Achievement Test (grades
3-8), the Writing assessment
(grades 5, 8, and 11), the End-ofCourse tests (grades 9-12), and
college readiness exams (grades
8, 10, and 11). Districts may also
choose to administer TCAP assessments in selected subjects to students in grades K-2.
There are four proficiency levels on the TCAP: below basic,
basic, proficient, and advanced. Beginning in 2014-15, PARCC
assessments will replace the TCAP math and reading exams.
Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) –
TV
AAS is a measure of the effect a district, school, or teacher
has on the academic progress or growth rates of individual
students and groups of students from year to year. TV
AAS
scores are based on multiple measures, including TCAP 3-8
Achievement tests and high school End of Course exams.
Tenure – Tenure is a status where employees are hired on a
permanent basis without periodic contract renewals. Tennessee law was changed in 2011 to enable districts to grant
tenure to teachers after a five-year probationary period if
teachers have demonstrated a certain level of effectiveness,
based, in part, on student achievement.
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