Report Card Highlights Rising Graduation Rates

NASHVILLE— The 2015 state Report Card launched online Thursday, offering users the ability to view multiple postsecondary and workforce metrics as well as achievement and growth for Tennessee schools and districts.

Metrics reported on the Report Card include graduation rate, achievement, student enrollment and ethnicity, value-added composite scores, and HOPE scholarship eligibility, among others.

The Report Card also reflects Tennessee’s improved graduation rate, which increased for the third year in a row, bringing the state graduation rate to 87.8 percent. The Report Card features a variety of tabs including growth or value-added data, teachers, accountability, and education climate. A college and career readiness tab features this year’s growing graduation rate as well as data on the ACT, which also shows the percentage of students meeting college and career readiness benchmarks on the test.

“As we continue to improve educational outcomes in Tennessee, it is important for the public to understand how schools in their communities are performing,” Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said. “The state Report Card provides transparency for parents, educators, and communities. They can see where we are excelling, in areas like graduation rate, and where we need to continue to improve as we seek to ensure all students are ready for postsecondary and the workplace.”

The Report Card is a tool designed to equip districts and communities with the data to make informed decisions to support their students and educators. Additionally, the department provides support to districts through regional field offices that offer resources and analysis to help districts and schools with data-driven interventions.

The department’s recently released five-year strategic plan, Tennessee Succeeds, provides additional details on the department’s plan to empower districts and support educators.

To view the 2015 Report Card, visit tn.gov/education/data/report-card.html. Data from the 2013 and 2014 Report Cards is available by selecting the appropriate year from the Year menu on the 2015 Report Card. State Report Cards from 2012 and earlier can be viewed under Report Card Archives.

For more information, please contact Ashley Ball at (615) 532-6260 or Ashley.M.Ball@tn.gov.