Chattanooga, Tenn. (Sept. 3, 2021) -- Hamilton County Schools (HCS) continues its trajectory towards excellence, as the district far exceeded the state growth standard in its 2020-21 Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) results.
TVAAS data is reported from the state, based on a range of Level 1 to Level 5 for each school and district. This system measures student growth outcomes from one year to the next, compared to a student's in-state peers. TVAAS defines Level 5 status as results two standard deviations above average, indicating significant evidence that students exceeded the state growth standard.
In 2020-21, HCS achieved Level 5 growth across all composite areas in all categories. In addition, 88 percent of measured subject areas met or exceeded growth standards, 85 percent of schools met or exceeded growth standards, and 82 percent of teachers met or exceeded growth standards. These extraordinary results come just weeks after the district announced HCS outperformed the state in 24 of 28 subject areas.
“At HCS, we expect excellence in achievement and growth so that all children thrive,” said Dr. Nakia Towns, Interim Superintendent of Hamilton County Schools. “We are extremely proud of our students and teachers for this historic accomplishment. We’ve made great strides in four years, and we look forward to continuing to accelerate our progress as we work toward achieving our Future Ready 2023 goals.”
Thirty-two schools earned Level 5 distinction and 13 schools earned Reward School status. These results are a testament to HCS teachers and their continued success in meeting students where they are and growing their knowledge, skills, and ability. TVAAS data is a good indicator of teacher effectiveness in facilitating learning growth.
“TVAAS and TNReady data together show HCS is moving in the right direction to accomplish initiatives in our strategic plan for both Accelerating Student Achievement and Great Teachers and Leaders,” said Joe Wingate, Chairman of the Hamilton County Board of Education. “Our teachers worked tirelessly even in the midst of the pandemic to ensure student learning was the top priority, and their hard work paid off.”
Priority School data also showed notable gains. Clifton Hills Elementary and Woodmore Elementary exited Priority School status after achieving results in the 34th and 33rd percentile, respectively, and six Priority Schools performed at the 10th percentile or higher. The Priority School list is identified every three years as schools scoring in the bottom 5% across the state. If that list were run today, HCS would have only one Priority School identified versus the nine that were designated in 2018.
The combination of TVAAS and TNReady data clearly illustrates Hamilton County Schools' progress toward its five year strategic plan, Future Ready 2023. The plan provides focus for continued improvement in all areas, from academics to operations. HCS remains the fastest improving school district in Tennessee.
