On Tuesday, the Tennessee Department of Education released the 2022-2023 TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program) and EOC (End-of-Course) scores for districts statewide, including Cleveland City Schools. These results shed light on the academic achievements and areas of improvement within the district.
As a district, Cleveland City Schools experienced overall improvements in all subjects for students in grades 3-12. Specifically, there was a 1.4% increase in English Language Arts, a 2.4% increase in mathematics, a 3.5% increase in science, and a slight 0.1% increase in overall achievement for social studies.
In Grades 3-5, students showed improvement of approximately 3.3% in ELA and 1.5% in science. In grades 6-8, ELA increased by 1.8%, math improved to 5.8%, and science showed an improvement of 5.7%. The most significant improvement in the district was in Algebra I at Cleveland Middle School with an increase of 37.5%. High school data shows an increase specifically in Algebra 2, Geometry, English 1, and U.S. History.
While Cleveland City Schools acknowledges and celebrates the progress seen in certain areas across the district, we remain committed to addressing areas that require improvement while maintaining growth in areas that have shown positive development.
In pursuit of this goal, Cleveland City Schools is launching a new comprehensive instructional plan, which includes instructional coaching for teachers, a renewed focus on the district's adopted curriculum, increased collaboration between teachers and administrators, the enhancement of professional learning communities, and regular check-ins to monitor student performance and identify areas that require additional interventions. Cleveland City School will release additional information about this plan in the next couple of weeks.
"The academic achievement of our students is of utmost importance to our school system,” Dr. Russell Dyer, Director of Schools, said. “We must continue to prioritize the learning that occurs in the classroom. I eagerly anticipate working alongside our school board, principals, teachers, and stakeholders to drive progress and ensure a high-quality education for every child in Cleveland City Schools."
To support teachers and administrators in their vital roles, the school board has taken proactive measures to enhance the teaching and learning environment. In April, school board members voted unanimously to approve the 2023-2024 budget, which included an additional $2.4 million in employee compensation for the upcoming school year. The approved compensation includes pay raises for all full-time employees and an increase in the starting teacher salary to a minimum of $50,000 per year. In addition, the budget included funds for extra positions such as counselors, classroom teachers, special education teachers, interpreters, ESL teachers, assistant principals, and instructional coaches to help support our students throughout our school system.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership in ensuring a high-quality education for every child in Cleveland City Schools. Together, we will continue to strive for excellence for all of our students. We look forward to welcoming you back for the 2023-2024 school year.