State Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, sponsored the 2021 Literacy Summit on Thursday to discuss strategies for improving early reading and writing with Hamilton County and state educational leaders and community members.
The event follows the release of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program and Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System scores.
Test scores declined statewide amid the coronavirus pandemic, and Hamilton County Schools outpaced state averages while seeing declines in most areas compared to the district’s 2019 scores.
Nakia Towns, interim superintendent of Hamilton County Schools, was one of five panelists at the event along with Watson, Blair Taylor of education organization Tennesseans for Quality Early Education, David Mansouri of education nonprofit SCORE and state Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn.
Towns told attendees that Hamilton County Schools saw growth in third grade literacy last year despite COVID-19 and while implementing a new reading curriculum.