By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Union City Schools has received a report card that anyone would be proud of.
UC High School and Middle School each received an ‘A’ on the state accountability report card, while Union City Elementary School was designated as a ‘Reward School’ in data released by the Tennessee Department of Education for the 2023-24 school year.
That glowing report comes on the heels of all three Union City Schools campuses being deemed Level 5 schools in federal accountability standards last fall.
“What a great time to be a Golden Tornado!” Director of Schools Wes Kennedy excitedly claimed after releasing the news to faculty and staff. “It’s a wonderful testimony to the collective and tireless efforts of our school administrators, teachers, and, of course, our students.
“Together, we’ve earned these statuses through hard work, and I couldn’t be more proud of our people who’ve invested in Union City Schools.”
The state-issued school letter grades provide a snapshot of how each school is meeting the state’s expectations for learning. That includes measures of student achievement and academic growth for all schools, as well as college and career readiness for high schools.
“School letter grades provide Tennessee families with a clear rating system that gives them a snapshot of how their child’s school is performing,” Commissioner of Education Lizzette Reynolds said. “No matter what your school’s letter grade is, everyone can play a role in supporting the success of their students and the success of their schools by engaging with their local school communities.”
The calculation to generate A-through-F letter grades for schools consists of four separate indicators and includes the growth of the highest-need students. The grades differentiate between elementary and middle schools and high schools.
Schools received a score for each of the indicators, ranging from levels 1-5. Each indicator score was multiplied by a weight based off the grade band to create a total score, which was then used to determine the school’s letter grade.
This marks the second year that all scores were designated a letter grade. In 2016, T.C.A. § 49-1-228 was established and required the Tennessee Department of Education to develop a school letter-grade rating system to provide parents and families with information that shows how public schools are performing.
The state’s letter-grade legislation is intended to provide a snapshot of how each school performed during the previous academic year and compare those results over time.
Due to implementation delays, including testing administration issues and the COVID-19 pandemic, Tennessee assigned letter grades to schools for the first time in 2022-23.