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State wants to work collaboratively to improve Hamilton County’s lowest-performing schools
But what we can't do is to continue to let schools be unsuccessful.
As the state works on how to intervene in five of Hamilton County’s lowest-performing schools, Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen is urging the community and school district to be involved in the process.
“It would be unfortunate if we didn’t take the opportunity for collaboration,” McQueen told the Times Free Press during a visit to the newspaper last week.
In coming weeks, McQueen plans to meet with Hamilton County Schools, education stakeholders and elected officials to discuss strategies for improving schools. Placing the district’s lowest- performing schools in the state-run Achievement School District remains a possibility, but McQueen said other options are on the table as well.
She said the state has learned from previous ASD interventions and is reluctant to come in and force things upon districts. The state might need to lead the vision here in Hamilton County, she said, but everyone needs to work together to make progress in low- performing schools.