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NASHVILLE, TN — Today, the Achievement School District announced its decision to extend a year of flexibility to Priority schools by deferring on any potential new school conversions for the 2017-2018 school year. The announcement seeks to align the ASD’s policies with the Tennessee Department of Education’s recent efforts to grant more flexibility to schools, students and teachers as the state continues to transition to the new TNReady assessments. The one-year flexibility period mirrors similar decisions made earlier this year by the state on the calculation of teacher evaluations and the upcoming 2017 Priority list, and it would not affect the possibility for current operators to expand grades or the four schools currently slated for a 2016-2017 conversion by the ASD.
Acknowledging the move as a step toward consistency in a time of transition, StudentsFirst Tennessee State Director Brent Easley said, “This move is yet another sign that the communication and teamwork between the ASD and the Department of Education are functioning at the highest possible levels. Ensuring that policies regarding this year’s assessments are consistent across the state is a key piece of getting our state-level policies right.”
“The ASD has proven that its turnaround work is having a positive impact on student outcomes in our state. In the past year’s results, the district’s students outpaced the state in their math and science gains. This type of elevated achievement will continue to provide additional high-quality educational opportunities for students across our state.”
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