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Tennessee report shows slow academic growth for Hamilton County students

Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / As the sun rises behind Brainerd High School, Executive Principal Dr. Crystal Sorrells takes a photo of the inspirational sign out front, on the first day of school on Aug. 10, 2022. High schools in Hamilton County scored better than lower grades on Tennessee's value-added tests.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / As the sun rises behind Brainerd High School, Executive Principal Dr. Crystal Sorrells takes a photo of the inspirational sign out front, on the first day of school on Aug. 10, 2022. High schools in Hamilton County scored better than lower grades on Tennessee's value-added tests. Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / As the sun rises behind Brainerd High School, Executive Principal Dr. Crystal Sorrells takes a photo of the inspirational sign out front, on the first day of school on Aug. 10, 2022. High schools in Hamilton County scored better than lower grades on Tennessee's value-added tests.


Hamilton County students aren’t showing as much academic growth compared to their peers in other districts, according to state data released Monday.

The district received a systemwide score of one – out of a possible five – through the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System, which evaluates student performance year over year and compares it to their peers.

A score of one means the district’s students made less academic growth than expected, and a score of five means the students achieved more growth than expected.

However, when it comes to proficiency, which is measured by the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, Hamilton County Schools outperformed the state in several subject areas for the 2021-22 school year. Shannon Moody, chief strategy officer for Hamilton County Schools, said in an interview that throughout the pandemic, the county’s testing scores remained steady while other districts in the state saw significant declines.