By Carmyn Gutierrez
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — School districts are getting a report card of their own as the state scores them on how well their students are doing.
It lists all sorts of factors – test scores, graduation rates, absentee rates. It’s important to note these are for the last school year which ended in May.
The data shows that less than 40% of all Metro Nashville Public Schools students met or exceeded the guidepost for subjects like English, science and math.
The numbers didn’t come as a surprise to Sonya Thomas, the executive director for Propel, a parent-led organization that advocates for children in low-performing schools in Nashville.
“You mean to tell me this is happening again,” Thomas said. “The data is the only receipt that parents like myself have, and the math ain’t mathin.”
Thomas said the state’s academic achievement scores and the poor testing scores don’t go hand and hand.
“How does the state give MNPS ninth-12th grade achievement scores 3 out of 4?” Thomas said. “It’s unheard of and the state has passed indiscretions with truth in reporting.”
Only 11% of all Metro Schools high schoolers met or exceeded expectations in math. For Black students and other minorities, that number was only 6.3%.
“We’re talking about children who go to school from all the way to 12th grade without receiving a quality education. It’s unfair. It’s inhumane. It’s criminal,” Thomas said. “We’re dealing with parents who love their children but who are also a part of the generational systemic educational failure. They’re also a product of victims of this system, and it hasn’t gotten any better.”
Despite the data, Davidson County Board of Education Chairman Rachael Ann Elrod issued this statement.
“I’m proud that MNPS achieved a Level 5 TVAAS growth status last year as an Advancing district in the state. Great things happen in all of our schools every day and the state’s snapshot of student success finally captured some of it. Our staff and students deserve to be commended for the work they did to show their growth and progress. The Board of Education is committed, along with Dr. (Adrienne) Battle, to build on our growth and progress this school year.”
“We’re talking about children who are entering kindergarten and going to school for 12 years not knowing how to read, not knowing how to do math, not knowing how to do science and social studies, and so we have to make sure that children see themselves as visions,” Thomas said.
According to the report card, while the graduation rate in Metro Schools is 80%, only 30% showed readiness for college.
Those are staggering stats that Thomas said must change.
“How much hope and inspiration do we have in these buildings,” Thomas said.
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