Eighty-five percent of state schools meet federal marks

State education officials in providing the 2005 No Child Left Behind results for release Tuesday said Tennessee “pioneered school accountability and set high standards for students” more than a decade ago with a state Education Improvement Act.

“I want to congratulate the students, parents, teachers and communities who are truly meeting the challenge and moving our state forward,” Bredesen said of the results.

Of Tennessee’s 1,693 schools, there were 242 — 15 percent — that failed at least one of the federal benchmarks for a first or repeat time. Of those, 116 showed improvement which if continued will put them in good standing next year.

In 2003, 47 percent of state schools landed on a “target” or “high priority” list.

Last year’s list of 17 schools designated as longtime failures grew to 25 — 21 in Memphis, three in Hamilton County and one in Davidson County — but Department of Education spokeswoman Kim Karesh said 12 of those schools showed improvement that would get them out of that lineup in 2006 if continued.

This year, 91 percent of Tennessee’s elementary-middle school students graded proficient or advanced in reading-language, compared to 86 percent in 2004. In math, 88 percent of elementary-middle students graded proficient or advanced, up from 83 percent. Among high school students, 93 percent graded proficient or better in reading-language arts, up from 90 percent in 2004, and 83 percent of high school students made the grade in math, up from 81 percent.

Education officials said support programs for schools include assignment of more than 120 specially trained techers in 165 schools needing assistance, publication of a state curriculum guide that shows grade level expectations, expansion of professional development initiatives and training conferences at an Urban Education Improvement Office.

Bredesen said he was “pleased that we are seeing positive results and I am committed to keeping education as our state’s highest priority.”

States are expected to make sure that 100 percent of their schools pass the assessment by 2014.

In the No Child Left Behind program, standardized test scores in reading-language arts and math are broken down by eight student subgroups — white, black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander, limited English skills, special education and economically disadvantaged

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On the Net:

Tennessee Department of Education: http://www.state.tn.us/education/