Jefferson County Schools

2009 Adequate Yearly Progress Report

 

The Tennessee Department of Education released the Adequate Yearly Progress report as required by No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Through NCLB guidelines, schools and school districts are evaluated on performance benchmarks in math, reading/writing and attendance for grades 3-8 and math, English/writing and graduation rate for high schools. Schools that do not meet these standards for the first year are considered targeted. After two years of failing to meet the benchmarks schools move to high priority status. No schools in Jefferson County are listed on the high priority list. There are 145 schools in Tennessee that are listed on the 2009-2010 high priority list (http://tn.gov/education/nclb/ayp).

Schools that make adequate yearly progress are considered in “good standing.” In order to be in “good standing” under federally mandated No Child Left Behind, schools and districts must meet performance standards in 37 categories at each grade. Jefferson County School district as a whole met No Child Left Behind Standards according to the 2009 Adequate Yearly Progress report and has met the “good standing” criteria. The following schools are in “good standing” for 2009:

Congratulations to Jefferson Middle School, which was targeted for the students with disability subgroup in 2008, but has improved in 2009 by making adequate yearly progress in required standards by all subgroups.  Jefferson Middle School’s “students with disability” subgroup made a 9% gain in proficient/advanced performance in math.  Jefferson Middle School has achieved the “good standing” status for the 2009-2010 school year.

 

We are also very proud of Jefferson County High School which improved in the area of reading for the “students with disability” subgroup by moving from targeted in 2008 to “good standing” in 2009.  The “students with disability” subgroup made an 8% gain in proficient/advanced performance in reading and a very impressive 27% gain in proficient/advanced performance in math (algebra). 

 

Three schools in our district are identified as targeted for the 2009-2010 school year.   Jefferson County High School is targeted for graduation rate.  Dandridge Elementary School is targeted for reading in the “students with disability” subgroup.  Jefferson Elementary School is targeted for the “economically disadvantaged” subgroup in the area of reading. 

 

District and school administrators are reviewing the data in order to make programming decisions and instructional plans necessary to offer students the finest achievement opportunities.  We realize that this report is only one snapshot of the teaching and learning that is taking place in our schools.  We are very pleased with the progress our students are making, but we want to continue to provide every single student the opportunity to achieve.  Students, teachers and administrators will face new challenges in the 2009-2010 school year as Tennessee raises curriculum standards through the Tennessee Diploma Project.  We will continue to utilize every resource and explore the best strategies to challenge our students to achieve excellence.