County School officials said the Tennessee Department of Education has released both student proficiency and growth data for the 2021-22 school year, and it shows student proficiency increasing in Hamilton County Schools. However, officials said county school student achievement growth did not keep up with other systems.
Officials said, "As we enter into the final year of our Future Ready 2023 strategic plan, we recognize the following takeaways that we need to both celebrate and make adjustments for as we begin this new school year.
"Overall, more students met the proficiency mark on state tests than we saw in the 2020-21 school year. Our students improved in proficiency rates over the previous year in 19 of the 28 tested areas, or 68 percent of all tested subjects.
"In fact, our students across Hamilton County met the highest level of proficiency in ELA and Social Studies since the development of our strategic plan, Future Ready 2023.
"To highlight a few exceptional areas, our students in the 6th and 7th grade saw the greatest increase in proficiency levels with an almost 10 percent increase in each grade level, and our 4th grade saw 43 percent of students meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA this year - an extension of our 3rd grade FR2023 target to see our students at 50 percent proficiency by the end of 2023.
"Additionally, 44 percent of our 4th and 5th grade students scored Meets or Exceeds on the state test in math, which is six percentage points higher than their peers in those grade levels across the state. Overall, growth slowed from previous years compared to other districts in the state.
"When it comes to comparative growth of all students measured by the Tennessee Value Added Assessment System (TVAAS), Hamilton County received an overall composite score of 1 for the 2021-22 school year. This means that our students did not grow as quickly as students in other districts.
"While we saw pockets of growth in several areas, specifically in our High School subjects, when combined across all grades and subjects, the level 1 result allows us to see that our students did not move at the same rate when compared to their peers’ performance on the state test."
According to HCS Chief Strategy Officer Shannon Moody, the proficiency and growth measurements can be visualized like a running track. “In this analogy, proficiency scores measure how many students crossed the ‘finish line,’ marking proficiency on the end of year test,” Ms. Moody said. “Growth, or TVAAS, does not measure simply how many students crossed the finish line, but rather how many students kept pace with their peers in other districts. High growth scores mean that the student group, as a whole, accelerated faster than their peers, or moved forward in the state distribution. Low growth scores mean that the student group did not move as quickly as the pace of their peers, or moved back in the state distribution. The number of students reaching proficiency can increase while the group as a whole slows relative to the pace of their peers.”
Oficials said HCS "will continue its engagement in an integrated and focused strategy moving forward."
According to HCS Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson, evolving strategies to effectively serve all students are key to moving the district forward. “The strategies that got us here will not get us to where we want to be. Every year, we can both celebrate and learn from our data, and this year is no different. In fact, that commitment to continuous improvement is what makes us a great school system. This year, we learned that we must continue to adjust and change to accelerate our student growth and achievement.
“As we start the 2022-23 school year, we are focusing on both academic press and personalization for our students. By teaching at a high level and building a strong culture of care that allows us to know our students well enough to understand what they need to be successful, we will be able to focus on seeing every student move forward, no matter where they are academically. When every student moves forward, both proficiency and growth will follow.
“We look forward to what this new school year will bring for the success of our students, and we know that our teachers and leaders will continue their incredible work providing opportunities and access to all of our students. As we refine our practices and continue our focus on sharpening our skills and knowing our students better, we will continue to move toward seeing all of our students thrive and experience a future without limits.”