Memphis-Shelby County Schools and Tennessee’s public charter schools celebrate improved School Letter Grades

New data from the Tennessee Department of Education’s 2023-24 State Report Card shows that 290 schools have received an A on the second annual School Letter Grades.

According to the dashboard data released on Thursday that includes state testing results and the letter grades, 485 schools received an overall B letter grade. The state calculates School Letter Grades through a school’s achievement, growth, and other factors like college and career readiness and how well its serving high-need students.

According to the department, 445 schools received the highest score for achievement in the letter grade calculation and 536 schools received the highest score growth. 

Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds said the data in the annual State Report Card aims to inform tailored strategies and investments to support students and schools.

“The 2023-24 State Report Card provides valuable insights into the performance of public schools and districts across Tennessee, giving families and communities the tools they need to advocate for their students,” she said in a public statement. “We are especially proud of the schools that performed highly on the School Letter Grades and are moving the needle for kids, and we encourage all Tennesseans to actively engage and contribute to the ongoing success of all our schools.”  

Memphis-Shelby County and public charter schools celebrate grades

The latest data from the state marks significant improvements in student performance at the state’s largest school district.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) officials say 81 schools in the improved their School Letter Grade compared to last year. In addition, MSCS leaders said the number of schools achieving an "A" grade under the state's accountability model increased from nine in 2022-2023 to 16 in 2023-2024, while the number of schools earning an "A" or "B" rose dramatically from 40 to 57. 

According to a news release from MSCS, the district’s growth scores contributed significantly to those gains. It said for the third consecutive year, MSCS earned the highest possible growth score. District leaders also noted an increase in college and career readiness, with MSCS “Ready Graduate” rates jumping from 26.2 percent in 2021-2022 to 36.6 percent in 2022-2023. Students earn Ready Graduate status through various pathways, such as achieving an ACT score of 21 or higher, earning industry credentials, or successfully participating in advanced coursework. 

MSCS Superintendent Marie Feagins said the district aims to build upon this momentum in growth moving forward.

“Our focus on improving outcomes for every student is unwavering,” she said in a public statement. “These results are a step forward, and we will continue to push for even greater success in the years to come.” 

When looking at Tennessee’s public charter schools, the Tennessee Charter School Center noted an increase in the percentage of charters earning A’s and B’s in 2024 compared to last year’s School Letter Grades, rising from 32 percent in 2023 to 36 percent in 2024.

In Shelby County, charter schools earned A’s and B’s at a slightly higher rate than district schools, with 31 percent of charters making the grade compared to 28 percent of district schools according to a news release from the center. Forty-four percent of Nashville’s charter schools earned an A or B grade compared to 29 percent of district schools.

In addition, 59 percent of charters run by the Tennessee Charter School Commission earned an A or B grade, while a lower percentage of district schools (47 percent) statewide earned an A or B grade.

“We applaud the efforts of our charter leaders, their students, and their families, and we look forward to continuing to support and advocate for their success in the New Year,” Tennessee Charter School Center CEO Elizabeth Fiveash Rush said in a news release about the findings.

This year’s State Report Card also includes funding allocation information, including funding through the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) funding formula that provides dollars to support specific student needs. The funding expenditure information will be available in early 2025. 

For more information on the 2023-24 State Report Card visit www.tn.gov/education.