Orchard Knob and Woodmore elementaries, two of Hamilton County Schools' historically low-performing schools, showed progress on their students' math proficiency in a year when most schools in the county lost ground due to instructional interruptions created by COVID-19.
Math proficiency at Orchard Knob Elementary increased by 3.7 percentage points on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests, going from 6.7% of students scoring proficient in 2018-19 to 10.4% in 2020-21.
Meanwhile, the number of students scoring proficient in math grew at Woodmore Elementary by 8.4 percentage points, going from 11.6% to 20% in the same time period.
Woodmore also showed increased proficiency in English, going from 12.4% in 2018-19 to 19.6% in 2020-21 , while Orchard Knob Elementary saw a decline in English proficiency from 4.3% in 2018-19 to 3.5% in 2020-21.
Woodmore was able to exit Tennessee's priority list, made up of schools performing in the bottom 5% of the state.
Partnership Network Advisory Board members
The members of the Partnership Network Advisory Board are:— Valoria Armstrong, chair - chief inclusion officer and vice president of external affairs at American Water.— Wayne Brown, vice chair - Chattanooga Ambassador Program assistant and Tennessee PTA member.— Dominique Brandt - vice president of community impact at United Way of Greater Chattanooga.— Ardena Garth - attorney and president of Chattanooga Endeavors.— Patricia McKoy - retired Hamilton County Schools educator.— Ernest Reid - pastor of Second Missionary Baptist Church.— Dakasha Winton - chief government relations officer and senior vice president, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.
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Partnership Network schools— Brainerd High School— Dalewood Middle School— Orchard Knob Elementary School— Orchard Knob Middle School— Woodmore Elementary School
The Tennessee Department of Education lists four ways schools can exit the list, including scoring within the 15th percentile for the most recent school year's proficiency or scoring a level 4 or 5 across all measured growth areas on the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System.
Woodmore scored level 4 across all measured areas on the 2018-19 growth measurement, while earning two level 5 scores and one level 3 score for 2020-21 on the same measured growth areas, according to data shared at a recent meeting of the Partnership Network Advisory Board, which helps keep such schools on track.
"It is phenomenal, and I think it's just huge for us to celebrate that and to be able to look at this trajectory over the years. It's a combination of a lot of hard work by the team, by the learning community, and we want to recognize that as a board for all of your hard work," said advisory board chair Valoria Armstrong.
The remaining three Partnership Network schools - Brainerd High School, Dalewood Middle School and Orchard Knob Middle School - saw declines in both English and math proficiency on the tests from 2018-19 to 2020-21, according to data reviewed at the meeting. The declines mirror a trend visible statewide and across other Hamilton County schools that officials have attributed to learning disruptions caused by COVID-19.
Board vice-chair Wayne Brown said Partnership Network school communities will need support as they continue to exit the priority list.
"Our schools and our students and our families are still going to need some support continued, so this work will continue, and that is our plan," Brown said.
Contact Anika Chaturvedi at achaturvedi@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592.