Monday, November 10, 2008
Tennessee Releases 2008 State Report Card on Schools
CMCSS Scores Straight A’s on System Achievement
NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Department of Education has released its annual comprehensive report card on pre-K - 12 education and the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System earned straight A’s in all academic categories for the first time.
The Report Card includes state, district and school-level information on achievement, demographics, discipline and educator preparation. State-level results show Tennessee met federal achievement benchmarks in all but one category, improved achievement in reading/language arts at the elementary level and increased the state’s graduation rate to 82.2 percent. CMCSS increased its graduation rate to 88.3.
“This certainly indicates our teachers are very much aligned with assessments. You can’t get straight A’s without some good teaching going on,” said Director of Schools Michael Harris. He noted that the graduation gains can be attributed to the focus on every student being given the opportunity to graduate through a personalized and individualized approach.
Chief Academic Officer B.J. Worthington attributed the exemplary performance of the school system to three primary components: alignment, time, and teaching. “What’s being taught in class to what’s being tested is better aligned. We’re making sure time in the day is used more effectively and through more professional development appropriate strategies are being used that are specific to learning differences in students,” Worthington said.
“We’re ahead in the game right now, but when we move to new standards and assessments in 2009, it will get tougher,” Harris said.
New assessment guidelines are due to be implemented next year as Tennessee moves to raise its state standards to more closely align with national standards.
“Under Governor Bredesen’s leadership, Tennessee’s focus is on raising standards for student learning so all students have the opportunity to graduate well-prepared to pursue higher education or enter the workforce,” Education Commissioner Timothy Webb said. “Our aggressive path of improvement means a better chance for students and a stronger workforce for Tennessee.”
Since embarking on the Tennessee Diploma Project in January, Tennessee has passed increased academic standards and graduation requirements. Because of this state’s commitment to education reform, Tennessee was chosen as one of eight leading states to launch the Career and College-Ready Policy Institute, a national initiative to help other states graduate students ready for 21st century expectations.
The report card also tracks non-academic indicators that influence achievement like teacher preparedness and student discipline. Tennessee’s 2008 report card shows an increase in the percentage of courses taught by highly qualified teachers and a decrease in student suspensions and expulsions.
“We know schools have a great influence on young people beyond the education of their minds,” Assistant Commissioner of Accountability and Teaching and Learning Connie Smith said. “Part of school success means providing resources to remove obstacles hindering student achievement so they can focus their energy on learning.”
A new feature of the online report card allows visitors to easily jump between 2007 report card results and the 2008 report card results using a drop-down feature at the top of each page. To view the statewide report card, visit www.tennessee.gov/education/reportcard .
Additional Information:
CMCSS Report Card Achievement Snapshot, 2004-2008
CMCSS Report Card Achievement Snapshot (by school), 2004-2008
