By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City continues to rank among the elite school districts in the state for ACT composite scores.
Reaching the top is now the next goal of Director of Schools Wes Kennedy.
Union City ranked No. 7 in Tennessee in the average ACT composites for the 2017-18 school year, according to data recently released by the state’s Department of Education.
UC’s 22.4 average score is the highest among rural West Tennessee School Districts and up eight spots on the 129-school list from last year. The statewide average was 20.2 in 2018.
Only a handful of much larger school districts posted better scores than Union City. That list included Germantown (25.9), Williamson County (25.4), Collierville (25.1), Maryville (24.3), Arlington (23.6) and Oak Ridge (23.3).
“I hope you understand what an incredible feat this is,” Kennedy told his faculty Wednesday. “What this news and these results tell me is when you have the best faculty and staff in the world – one that has high expectations for every student and accepts no excuses – then anything and everything is possible.“The six school districts in front of us live in a different world than we do when when looking at per capita income, socio-economics and availability of resources. And I’ve already sent a couple of superintendents who are friends of mine at those schools an email, letting them know we are coming to knock them off.
“I’m so humbled and honored to be part of the Golden Tornado team.”
Tennessee Education Department Commissioner Candice McQueen announced the results and also revealed that Tennessee public school students again broke the previous year’s record for composite scores. That rate was 20.1 in 2017.
More than 2,000 additional students took the exam in 2018, bringing the state’s participation rate up to 97 percent – also a new record high. The results also show that 1,463 more Tennessee public school graduates became eligible for the HOPE scholarship by earning composite scores of 21 or higher.
“The ACT provides an opportunity for our students to show they are college and career ready,” Commissioner McQueen said in a release. “Seeing a higher average score at the same time more students are taking the test is a true testament to the work that is happening in Tennessee schools.
“Our schools are increasingly moving toward deeper teacher and learning that meets our higher expectations, and that focus pays off on tests like the ACT and SAT.”
Johnson City (22.3), Tullahoma (22), Bradford (22) and Kingsport (22) rounded out the Top 10 school districts composite score-wise.
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