State recognizes Kingsport, Sullivan, Hawkins schools and Rogersville district

KINGSPORT — Seven Kingsport public schools were named among Tennessee's best, along with four in Sullivan County and three in Hawkins County. The Tennessee Department of Education, or TDOE, announced them among 459 Reward Schools for 2024-25 Friday. In Kingsport, the Reward Schools are Adams, Johnson, Kennedy, Lincoln, Roosevelt and Washington elementary schools, along with Dobyns-Bennett High School. Each received the designation based on results from the 2024-25 TCAP, or Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, or other measures. Elsewhere in the region, Rogersville City Schools and Greeneville City Schools were among 14 Exemplary Districts statewide, also announced Friday afternoon. Listed among 13 Advancing districts were Unicoi and Washington counties. Sullivan, Hawkins and Johnson counties were among 15 ranked as Satisfactory. No Northeast Tennessee system was among eight In Need of Improvement districts, according to the TDOE data released Friday. Each year, schools and districts are eligible for designations based on their overall performance across indicators that are essential to student success. These include how they prepared students to be proficient in skills and for postsecondary success, encouraged students to attend school regularly and supported English learners acquiring language skills. Indicators also included accelerated student learning or growth, graduation rate and Ready Graduate. Schools are recognized as a Reward School when they demonstrate high levels of performance and/or improvement in performance by meeting objectives across performance indicators and student groups, and the Reward School distinction places emphasis on performance and improvement across all indicators from the prior school year, according to the TDOE. KINGSPORT "Congratulations to each of our schools that earned Reward School status," Kingsport City Schools Superintendent Chris Hampton said in a news release Friday afternoon. "This status, which is the highest school-level designation a school can earn, speaks to the hard work of our students, families, and educators. Reward School status is evidence of high-level learning for all students and efficient school-level processes. We are very proud of these schools and everyone who has invested so richly in their recent successes." SULLIVAN In Sullivan County, Justin Calhoun, who oversees data and accountability for Sullivan County Schools, said four schools received the Reward School designation: Miller Perry, Rock Springs, Central Heights and Sullivan Gardens elementary schools. "That's good news," Calhoun said Monday. HAWKINS In Hawkins County, Director of Schools Matt Hixson said the system has Mount Carmel and Hawkins elementary schools on the Reward School list, as well as Cherokee High School. "We've got room to add more," Hixon said Monday afternoon, adding that Mount Carmel has made the list nine of the last 11 years. "We'd like to add more to the list." ROGERSVILLE CITY SCHOOLS Rogersville City School, a pre-kindergarten to eighth grade school, is the only school in Rogersville City School District. Although the district made the Exemplary District list, the school did not reach Reward School status. Edwin Jarnagan, director of the Rogersville school system, said that is because the two designations are based on different criteria. "I told the staff this is a significant accomplishment for our school district," Jarringan said Monday. He said from year to year, schools will go on and off the Reward School list. In addition, he said he's asked Department of Education officials in Nashville about the Reward School status and understands the school narrowly missed the Reward School designation. STATEWIDE VIEW Data for schools and school systems statewide are available online at www.tn.gov/education/districts/lea-operations/accountability.html. Across the state, the number of Reward schools increased from 377 in 2023–24 to 459 the next year, representing a 22% increase. At the district level, the number of Exemplary districts increased from 10 in 2023–24 to 14, reflecting a 40% increase. The number of In Need of Improvement districts decreased from nine in 2023–24 to eight, reflecting an 11% decrease. The complete list of district and school designations is available on the department's accountability webpage. "Because of the dedication of Tennessee district, charter, and school leaders, along with our outstanding educators, we are proud to see their hard work demonstrated in these results," Commissioner of Education Lizzette Reynolds said in a TDOE news release. "Congratulations to the 459 Reward schools and the 14 Exemplary districts for reaching this incredible milestone." Districts are recognized as an Exemplary District when they receive an overall district performance score of 3.1 or higher on a 4.0-point scale across all performance indicators previously referenced. Reward schools, Exemplary districts and In Need of Improvement districts were approved by the State Board of Education Friday, Nov. 21. All designations statewide can be found on the department's accountability webpage.