MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Today, several schools in Shelby County are breathing a sigh of relief as students soar to the top of the class.
A new report from the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) found at least five schools in the Memphis area moved up off the Priority List to the Reward List.
Those include:
- Arrow Academy of Excellence
- KIPP Memphis Collegiate Middle
- KIPP Memphis Academy Middle
- Memphis Business Academy Hickory Hill Middle School
- Whitney Achievement Elementary
The annual lists are designed for the state to hold school districts accountable. According to the TDOE website, Priority schools — also referred to as Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) schools — scored in the bottom five percent of schools across Tennessee, with years of low academic performance. On the flip side, Reward schools show performance at high levels, or improved performance.
Moving onto the Reward List can be a big undertaking for schools, and for those at Whitney Elementary, it took years of hard work.
"I see a few people in the back that might've gotten it," said second-grade teacher Ralph Thomas Jr. to a class of eager students.
This has been a dream in the making for those at Whitney Elementary for over 10 years.
"It was difficult because we had been in the priority status for so long," said Vonda Beaty, Whitney Elementary's principal.
The Frayser school now joins 400 other Tennessee schools on the TDOE Reward School List.
"When we saw the numbers turning, it was like, 'Yeah, yeah, we think we can get there,'" Beaty said.
A series of academic coaching, professional development, and a change in culture is part of what Beaty said made this all possible. A big priority for the Memphian was to make sure teachers met students where they were and help them see Whitney Elementary as a safe place.
"We decided how we needed to move forward, and everybody bought into the vision," Beaty said.
"Once they learned that, 'Hey, I can just come to the classroom, I don't have to have that extra added pressure of trying to be perfect — I can get things wrong, and it's still OK because the only way you're going to learn is by making mistakes,'" Thomas said. "We saw a lot of growth."
"We don't have to worry about anything happening to us because this is a safe space," a student said.
Now the school is determined to stay on the Reward School list and not take a step back to where they were before.
"We're not going to stop teaching as hard as we're teaching," said Beaty. "We're not going to stop working as hard as we're working, because this is about our children, everyday, all 371 of them."
Several schools still remain on the Priority List in Tennessee. Forty-three Memphis schools are considered to be in need of Comprehensive Support and Improvement, similar to where Whitney Elementary was last year. Ninety-nine Schools are on the CSI list overall.