Rutherford County Schools ranks among the best school districts in the state, while Murfreesboro City Schools improved in key areas, according to the 2011 Tennessee Report Card on K-12 Education, which was released Friday.
The Tennessee Report Card is an annual announcement that details how each school district and school is meeting the requirements of No Child Left Behind and state education achievement standards.
The report reflects significantly increased academic standards the state adopted as part of its First to the Top initiative and the Tennessee Diploma Project.
Despite the increased standards, Rutherford County Schools showed academic growth in nearly all areas.
“I’m pleased with how our district performed, and I’m especially proud our district once again led the way in Tennessee,” said Director of Schools Harry Gill. “There will always be challenges, but we will continue to use the information in the report to build upon our successes and learn from areas that need improvement.”
Gill and the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, Don Odom, will give a more detailed overview of Rutherford County Schools’ results at an upcoming Board of Education meeting.
RCS Accomplishments
In achievement for grades three through eight, Rutherford County Schools received As in every category, which includes math, reading/language, science and social studies. Last year, the report scored RCS with three As and a B for math. For 2011, the district also received all As for its writing scores, which are measured in 5th, 8th and 11th grades.
The district’s ACT scores were above the state scores for both the three-year average and for individual years. (Note: In 2009, the state began requiring all students to take the ACT during their junior year regardless of whether the students are planning to attend college, which is why there is a slight dip reflected between 2009 and 2010).
For Value-Added learning gains in grades K-8, RCS scored three Bs and a C, which is up from three Cs and a B in 2010. On the high school level, the district scored above the predicted scores in Biology I, U.S. History and writing. There was “No Detectable Difference” based on the predicted score in the other high school subjects, which is a neutral grade.
Rutherford County’s graduation rate increased from 89.4 percent in 2010 to 91.5 percent in 2011, and the district’s attendance rate was 95.8 percent.
In addition, La Vergne High School saw a significant increase in its graduation rate for 2011. The school’s graduation rate increased 12 points in one year, from 77.5 percent in 2010 to 89.5 percent in 2011.
The report also shows that 99.9 percent of core courses were taught by highly qualified teachers, and that the school district’s funding was nearly $1,000 per pupil below the state average.
The average per pupil expenditure in Rutherford County was $8,095 compared to the state average of $9,084.
MCS Accomplishments
In achievement for grades three through six, Murfreesboro County Schools received Bs in every category, which includes math, reading/language, science and social studies.
The system outperformed the state in every category.
Last year, the report scored MCS with all Bs. For 2011, the district also received an A for its 5th-grade writing scores.
For Value-Added learning gains in grades K-6, MCS scored three Bs and a D, which is up from two Cs, a B and a D in 2010.
The system greatly improved its math score bringing it up from a D last year to a B this year. It also improved in reading/language from a C to a B, but fell in science from a C to a D.
Areas needing improvement
For RCS, Rock Springs Middle School in Smyrna has been classified as “School Improvement II” for not meeting the academic requirements in math overall and in two subgroups: African American and Students with Disabilities.
The state previously released this information to districts and the public during the summer.
Gill and the school’s new principal, Chris Treadway, have already implemented strategies to help the school improve its math scores, including additional instruction time targeted at those students who are struggling.
For MCS, the system as a whole met benchmarks for No Child Left Behind, but three schools didn’t.
Bradley Academy, Mitchell Neilson Primary and Mitchell Neilson Elementary are classified as “School Improvement” for failing to meet benchmarks.
Bradley failed to meet proficiency benchmarks for African-American students in reading, while both Mitchell Neilson Primary and Elementary failed to meet proficiency benchmarks in both math and reading for economically disadvantaged students.
The primary school is grouped with the elementary because testing begins in third grade, after students have entered Mitchell Neilson Elementary. |
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