Tennessee Department of Education announced school and district designations for the 2023-24 school year, highlighting Reward Schools, Exemplary Districts, and In Need of Improvement districts
Chattanooga, TN – According to the state officials, these classifications are based on various performance indicators, including student achievement and growth.
Statewide, 377 schools from 97 districts earned the Reward School designation, 10 districts were named Exemplary Districts, and 10 districts received the In Need of Improvement designation.
A complete list of these designations is available on the department’s accountability webpage.
Each year, schools and districts qualify for designations based on their performance across essential indicators of student success. These include:
– Student achievement (proficiency levels)
– Accelerated learning (growth metrics)
– Attendance (reducing chronic absenteeism)
– Postsecondary preparation (graduation rates and Ready Graduate measures)
– Support for English learners in acquiring language skills
Reward Schools are recognized for demonstrating high performance and/or significant improvement across performance indicators and student groups. The distinction emphasizes success across all indicators from the prior school year.
This annual accountability system aims to celebrate successes while identifying areas for improvement to support the state’s students and schools.