Just as he did for several years as he led highly positive Renaissance rallies at Shelbyville Central High School, Tim Harwell, now as assistant director of schools, recently encouraged school board …
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Just as he did for several years as he led highly positive Renaissance rallies at Shelbyville Central High School, Tim Harwell, now as assistant director of schools, recently encouraged school board members to remain vigilant and positive as they listened to a presentation about this year’s state testing results.
Perhaps somewhat fortunate for the school system, which is still climbing to meet overall state mastery percentages in certain subjects, the district ranks among the state’s “hold harmless,” schools, due to its high participation in 2021 testing.
During the recent school board meeting, Harwell said, “Hold harmless schools cannot be identified as a priority school nor can they be assigned to the achievement school district. Hold harmless school and districts will receive graduation and ReadyGraduate data. Teachers are held harmless . . . . What that means is that they can nullify their scores from last year.”
This is due in part to state legislature work, due to schools having to close so early last year because of the pandemic.
Though “held harmless,” Harwell led school board members grade by grade in how Bedford County faired this year in TNReady and EOC (End of Course) data from the spring 2021 assessment. He mentioned how Cascade Elementary and Thomas Magnet second graders scored above the state averages in English Language Arts (ELA.)
The state average for math mastery in second grade was 28 percent. Bedford County individually scored 25 percent. Local highlights of achievement included again Cascade Elementary and Thomas Magnet, which both scored above state averages in second grade math. Assessment data is varied and will be discussed in a future story in the Times-Gazette.
Harwell explained the 1-4 numbering system which the state assigns to school district in overall performance. (A score of 1 is below mastery in state standards. Growth is based on a 3-year average.”
TNReady and EOC data with is a part of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) and is designed to assess true student understanding, not just basic memorization.
