Tennessee NCLB Results Released

The list of Tennessee schools in trouble under No Child Left Behind is shrinking, even as the standards they have to meet grow tougher.

The state’s Department of Education updated its high priority list today. It includes 134 schools, down from 139 last year.

Just over half actually made adequate yearly progress, and will be in the clear if they can meet the standards again in the coming year.

Twenty-eight schools came off the list entirely.

Accountability Director Connie Smith says they’ve seen particular success in a group of twenty schools that were once the worst performers in the state.

“There are only eight schools left on the original 20 failing schools, and that is a phenomenon to be celebrated. That just says that when you get a focus and a clarity of purpose around your curriculum, your instruction, your leadership, and how you’re organized and use assessment results, you can improve and move the school forward.”

Even so, the list of high priority districts grew from four to six. Bedford County and Murfreesboro City Schools failed to meet benchmarks on a district-wide basis for the second year in a row, and Metro Nashville slid farther into a restructuring phase.

Robertson County did see improvement but it remains a high priority district. Maury County came off the list completely.