Tennessee students continued to make academic gains during the 2025-26 school year, posting higher proficiency rates in English language arts, mathematics and social studies, according to newly released Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) results from the Tennessee Department of Education.
Statewide, English language arts proficiency increased from 40.7 percent in 2025 to 42.3 percent in 2026, marking the fifth consecutive year that reading performance has exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Third-grade students recorded one of the strongest improvements, with proficiency rising 3.2 percentage points, while eighth-grade students improved by 2.7 percentage points.
At the high school level, English II proficiency climbed to 58 percent, an increase of 3.8 percentage points from the previous year. English I proficiency reached 37 percent.
Mathematics also continued its upward trend, with statewide proficiency rising to 41 percent—more than four percentage points above 2019 levels. Fourth-grade students posted the largest year-over-year improvement, gaining 3.6 percentage points, while eighth-grade math proficiency increased by 2.3 percentage points. Overall, high school math proficiency now exceeds pre-pandemic performance by 8.6 percentage points.
Social studies showed the strongest long-term improvement among tested subjects. Statewide proficiency reached 50 percent in 2026, up 2.6 percentage points from last year and 11.4 percentage points higher than 2019. Middle school students improved by 2.4 percentage points, while high school U.S. History proficiency increased by 3.8 percentage points.
The department also reported continued progress among historically underserved student groups. Achievement levels for Black students, Hispanic students, economically disadvantaged students, English learners and students with disabilities all reached their highest levels since 2019. However, the state noted that achievement gaps remain, particularly for students with disabilities and English learners, despite year-over-year improvements.
The statewide results include spring 2026 TCAP assessments and fall 2025 end-of-course exams. Science assessment results are not yet included, as they are currently undergoing the state’s standards-setting process.
For Marion, Sequatchie, and Grundy County families, official district-level TCAP scores for individual counties and districts are currently being finalized by the Tennessee Department of Education and are expected to be released by the Tennessee Department of Education on July 21, 2026, with Science and Biology results scheduled for release on August 31, 2026. District-wide and individual school report cards will be published shortly after those results are released.
