County Commissioner Tim Boyd said he wants an explanation on how some county schools that have been celebrated for achieving TVAAS level "5" scoring have such low literacy scores.
He said, "In reference to the superintendent's "State of the System" address, I am not too worried about gaining "...a better understanding of their (HCDE) fiscal needs with budget season approaching.." until someone with the HCDE explains to me and the public how multiple TVAAS level "5" scoring schools have literacy assessment scores well below 15 percent.
"The wasted tens of millions of state dollars on ineffective programs within our 'Priority Schools' over the past 10 years (before and during Johnson's term) is shameful and inexcusable.
"How many times has the HCDE P-R department reported about how proud we all should be of the success of our schools attaining a level "5" TVAAS score and yet never report on the miserable and unacceptable 3rd grade literacy levels in some of the very same schools awarded a TVASS score of "5"?
" As a professional educator the first priority of our new superintendent, Dr.
Justin Robertson, should be to identify the reasons for the failure of HCDE to improve the literacy rates of all our
"Priority Schools". His second priority should be to identify proven and effective literacy programs that teach kids to read no matter what their social and financial backgrounds may be. There should not be any greater concern of our Superintendent than to make sure our children can read and write, and the School board should hold him accountable for the results out of all our schools no matter the zip code..
"I am confident the HCDE will be asking for more money in the FY2023 budget. However, all of us responsible for the funding of the HCDE must remember, the HCDE administration has proven over the last decade beyond any doubt, throwing money at a problem will not solve the problem, and we all are witness to the HCDE having ineffectively thrown a lot of money at the educational problems of our public schools.
"Show me programs that work and who will be responsible for ensuring they will work in Hamilton County, and I will consider more funding. I know of 'real time' literacy assessment programs that track the literacy levels of students individually. We do not have to wait on State assessment testing to determine the effectiveness of literacy programs."