Shelby County Schools 2018 Progress Update Presented to: Tennessee General Assembly Dorsey E. Hopson, II Superintendent, Shelby County Schools OUR GOALS 80% of students will be college or career ready 90% of seniors will graduate on time 100% of graduates will enter college or a career OUR 2017-2018 PRIORITIES Develop an ACADEMIC PLAN that promotes high quality learning and instruction Increase our investment in EARLY LEARNING opportunities to ensure mastery of foundational knowledge Launch STUDENTBASED BUDGETING at set of pilot schools and ultimately expand to create equity, even with fewer resources Revamp CAREERS AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION (CTE) to prepare students for 21st Century jobs OUR PROGRESS FEWER SCS students were significantly behind their peers on the most recent standardized tests 13 Shelby County schools were RECOGNIZED as Reward Schools for performance or progress ACADEMICS For the 4th consecutive year, we’ve IMPROVED our graduation rate which is now at 79.6% and on track for our 2025 goal 37 Shelby County schools EARNED a TVAAS Level 5 rating -- the highest growth measure a school can earn FEWER Shelby County schools are in the bottom 5% of the state OUR PROGRESS EARLY LEARNING We added nearly 600 PRE-K SEATS to ensure more SCS students are kindergarten ready. We developed the Superintendent’s Learning Academy to prevent summer learning loss for more than 6,000 ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. We expanded a K-3 reading program in collaboration with faith-based organizations to involve 1200 VOLUNTEERS and 1200 STUDENTS. OUR PROGRESS FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY Over the last two years, SCS has aggressively PRIORITIZED SPENDING, sending $68 million more dollars to schools. SCS has invested in a new TEACHER COMPENSATION SYSTEM ($11.5 million), expansion of CTE ($3 million), as well as the expansion of proven strategies iZONE & EMPOWERMENT ZONE SCHOOLS. SCS is preparing to launch STUDENT-BASED BUDGETING for six pilot schools in 2018-2019, which will ultimately provide schools with more equitable resources and autonomy to target specific student needs. OUR PROGRESS PARTNERSHIPS We approved a CHARTER COMPACT to establish clear rules and better relationships with HIGH PERFORMING CHARTER SCHOOLS. SCS has created a partnership with the University of Memphis to INCREASE OUR TEACHER PIPELINE, therefore, providing more high performing teachers for our classrooms. OUR SETBACK GRADING Grade-changing: We uncovered and self-reported an issue of grade-changing at Trezevant H.S., which prompted us to launch an independent, district-wide investigation. Another school has since been identified. OUR NEED REMAINS More than 40,000 (36%) SCS students have an annual household income (family of 4+) of less Memphis ranks than $10,000. 86th out of the 100 largest metro areas for the gap between supply and demand for educated workers. We are closing the achievement gap, but not quickly enough to ensure success for all of our students. OUR OPPORTUNITY IS NOW “ We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right. “ -Martin Luther King, Jr. OUR LEGISLATIVE NEEDS BEP & Funding We have done our part to operate efficiently but need to be fully funded, especially for “at risk” students. Unfunded Mandates When mandates are handed down, we need implementation funding to support the state requests. Teachers As the number of eligible classroom teachers decreases, we need more flexibility in hiring. OUR LEGISLATIVE NEEDS Deferred Maintenance We need approximately $500 MILLION in deferred maintenance funding. ASD We need revisions to the selection process and number of schools selected, as well as greater responsibility from ASD for deferred maintenance. Student Data We want to protect the privacy of our students and parents and oppose the release of their data to ASD or charter schools. OUR THANKS On behalf of the Shelby County Schools board and its educators, staff and students, I thank you for your service and commitment to ensuring our needs are met, so we can more aggressively increase student achievement and develop a more capable workforce for our county and the State of Tennessee. Dorsey Hopson, II SCS Superintendent