The number of Metro schools in trouble under No Child Left Behind has shot up from 32 to 55. But district officials say the test data shows plenty to be happy about.
Metro Schools officials explain the data as they announce the district’s test scores
While the district didn’t improve enough to meet federal benchmarks, it did see nearly across the board gains in student achievement. Graduation rates are up, along with every score except for high school reading and language arts. 90-percent of Metro high school students passed the state writing assessment. Algebra I test scores increased by 12%.
Schools Director Jesse Register says he sees promise in those figures, no matter how they stack up against No Child Left Behind standards.
“The most pleased that I am about any of the data we’ve seen this year is that our value-added data is exceeding state average. We’re getting better faster, our student achievement is going up faster, and that’s what’s important.”
Metro Schools again failed to make what’s called “Adequate Yearly Progress,” on a district level, but that’s offset by a correction to its status from a few years back. The end result is that there are no new potential penalties.
As for the 55 Metro schools now labelled “high priority” for failed to catch up to the ever-rising standards for test scores and graduation rates for at least two years in a row, officials say there’s no single solution.
The ten in the worst shape have been grouped into what’s being called an Innovation Cluster. They’ll likely undergo dramatic changes, and will be granted the kind of flexibility usually only seen in charter schools.
Alan Coverstone is in charge of that effort. He says that every school will need a different approach.
“Each school has to build its own culture. There’s more variation within schools than there are across schools, typically, and finding a way to identify what the culture of that school is and draw everybody into its improvement and success is the only way you’re going to build strong schools.”
The 45 other high priority schools will have outside help. Those will participate in a state program that provides private consultants. Beyond that, Metro is using some of its federal funding to bring in a British company called Tribal. That contract will cost 6 million dollars over the next five years.
Last week, Tennessee officials filed a request for federal approval to ratchet down the state’s achievement goals. Register expressed his support for the waiver, saying it would be good for morale.
Innovation Cluster:
Napier Elementary
Antioch Middle
Apollo Middle
Bailey Middle
Cameron Middle
Jere Baxter Middle
Margaret Allen Middle
Wright Middle
Glencliff High
White’s Creek High
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