Hamilton County Schools announce test results
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – More test results from last year were released by the state of Tennessee.
Hamilton County Schools are touting the results as a success.
Test results beginning this school are being released through a new system called the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System, or TVAAS for short.
Administrators say they are pleased with the numbers they have gotten back.
The Deputy Superintendent for Hamilton County Schools Dr. Sonia Stewart, said, “What you’ll see in the scores is that in proficiency we have moved forward across our content areas, and in growth we are a level five school district which means we are outpacing our like peers in the state.”
A graph breaking down scores from 1 to 5 in terms of student growth against the state average. 3 and above is considered successful. (Courtesy: Hamilton County Schools)
The data breaks down on a graphic showing on a scale from one to five the growth rate in five content areas.
These scores measure test scores in grades 3-10.
Leaders say they want each category to be at least a 3, which means growth is on par with the rest of the state.
Hamilton County Schools ranks in three of the five areas, composite, literacy, and social studies scores, as a 5 out 5, and science comes in with 4.
That means in all of those categories, Hamilton County students showed more growth than the state average.
The year before, every category except for social studies had a score of one out of 5, meaning students were behind the state average.
Blake Freeman, the Chief Academic Officer for Hamilton County Schools, said, “I think in literacy specifically, we have emphasized the use of high quality instructional materials, so making sure that all students have access to on grade level tasks and texts and making sure that students are equipped to prepare students to be able to encounter those.”
The only subject area that did not receive a high mark is math as it came in at a two out of five.
However, school leaders say this is no reason to be alarmed.
Freeman said, “COVID really had some impact on building foundational skills for mathematics so in the Spring of this year, Hamilton County Schools adopted a new math curriculum and trained over 90 percent of our teachers in elementary, middle, and high school in that mathematics curriculum.”
Percentages of students who have succeeded on tests the past three years. (Courtesy: Hamilton County Schools)
The raw number increase of students who were proficient increased as well, with at least a one point five percent increase in each subject over last year and compared to the state average.
27 schools were identified as Level 5 schools, meaning they showed exceptional growth.
The schools listed as Level 5 are as follows:
● Alpine Crest Elementary School
● Apison Elementary School
● Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts
● Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence
● Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence Middle
● Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy
● Chattanooga Preparatory School
● Chattanooga School for Arts and Sciences Upper
● Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts
● Daisy Elementary School
● East Hamilton High School
● East Lake Academy of Fine Arts
● East Lake Elementary School
● East Side Elementary School
● Hixson Elementary School
● Hixson High School
● Loftis Middle School
● Lookout Mountain Elementary School
● Middle Valley Elementary School
● Normal Park Museum Magnet School
● Red Bank High School
● STEM School Chattanooga
● The Howard School
● Tommie F. Brown Academy
● Tyner Academy
● Westview Elementary School
● Wolftever Creek Elementary School
Dr. Stewart said, “When we look at the notion of growth, it’s about out pacing your peers. What those schools did is take their students and move them forward and faster than their like peers.”
Hamilton County Schools has also been listed as a Level 5 School District.
TVAAS will have data families can look at when their website launches on September 13th.
