LEAD Public Schools Rebounds from Pandemic with High Levels of Academic Growth
After returning to the classroom for the first full school year since the pandemic, LEAD Public Schools saw significant student growth with five out of six schools achieving the highest possible level of academic growth on the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) during the 2021-22 school year.
“To have this confirmation that our students grow academically at an above average rate when compared to their peers across Tennessee is remarkable,” said Dwayne Tucker, CEO at LEAD Public Schools. “These exceptional results are a testament to the commitment, hard work, and discipline of our teachers and staff. I look forward to building upon this success to continue our mission of ensuring every student is ready for college and ready for life.”
LEAD Brick Church, LEAD Cameron, LEAD Neely’s Bend, LEAD Southeast Middle, and LEAD Southeast High each earned a Level 5 score on TVAAS, achieving the highest possible level of academic growth. LEAD Cameron saw an exceptional amount of growth with an index score of 17, which is 15 points higher than the index score needed to achieve Level 5 status.
LEAD Academy was the only LEAD school that did not earn a Level 5 TVAAS score during the 2021-2022 school year. To combat LEAD Academy’s Level 1 score, network leaders have created a comprehensive plan to turn around the school’s performance with a goal of ensuring all six LEAD schools earn a Level 5 for the 2022-23 school year.
“Academic growth is an important metric at LEAD because many of our students come to us two to three years behind,” said LaVoe Mulgrew, head of schools at LEAD Public Schools. “Getting these students back on track is a challenging task for our teachers and staff, and they continue to rise to the occasion by ensuring our scholars are receiving the support needed to make significant academic gains.”
