MSCS to give schools designations, based on letter grades they received from state

Earlier in her career, before she joined Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Supt. Marie Feagins worked at a school that had been given an “F” grade. And she witnessed the damage this label could have.

“It's hard to fight that. It's hard to get people to come and want to be in your school, because all they see is an ‘F.’ People won't move to the neighborhood,” she said at an MSCS board retreat on May 31. “It’s a cycle, and it’s harmful.”

So, as Feagins considered categorizing MSCS schools, she thought about how to do so effectively. Already, the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) had given public schools throughout the state letter grades on an A-F scale. But she and her team wanted to give their schools labels on a district-level that wouldn’t potentially come with a negative connotation.

The solution?

MSCS plans to label its schools “SUPE Schools,” “IGNITE Schools,” and “SOAR Schools.”

The designations

Though MSCS officials – and public education leaders throughout Tennessee – have expressed mixed feelings about the state’s letter grade system, the district is using it as a frame of reference to categorize its schools.

TDOE rolled out its letter grade system in December, using academic performance and growth as key determinants. Feagins’ plan is to name the schools that received Ds and Fs SUPE Schools – “supe” is short for superintendent – and the schools that received Cs IGNITE Schools. The schools that received As and Bs are set to be named SOAR Schools. There are set to be 76 SUPE Schools, 44 IGNITE Schools, and 27 SOAR Schools.

The goal, explained Feagins, is to help struggling schools get the support they need to improve student performance – thereby leveling up in the state letter grade system. Whereas a school that already has an A from the state and high-performing students might get one literacy or math coach, schools with an F could get multiple. Principals have been asked what resources their schools need to be more effective, and the district has said it plans to provide them.

“It's not just me telling schools what they need. This is them, based on data analysis, sharing, ‘Hey, this is what we need,’” Feagins said at the retreat. “They may say, ‘I want to keep my SEAs [special education assistants]. I want to have a literacy coach, a math coach. I'd like an interventionist. I'd like you to focus on safety for my school.’ They've been able to name that.’”

With these resources come expectations for improvement. Schools with the “SUPE” label should eventually become IGNITE Schools, just as IGNITE Schools should become SOAR Schools.

“The expectation from them is, this is what you told us you need, and on the other side of the year, there has to be some results there,” Feagins said. “A lot of times it is about setting an expectation to actually move the work forward.”

Effective messaging

During the retreat, however, board members wanted to ensure the district categories wouldn’t have a negative effect on schools, in the way that they think the state letter grades have. Board chair Althea Greene noted the importance of effectively communicating the purpose of the designations.

“How do we make sure in our messaging… that parents won’t run from us to something else, because we have a stigma,” she said. “I think the messaging and the way that we communicate this as parents, is going to be really key, so we don’t see a flight of students from a community. … You’ve got to be careful, and you’ve got to start messaging.”

Feagins agreed with the importance of effective communication, and she emphasized that the district categories wouldn’t harm schools.

“We're trying to brand it in such a way that we don't even say D and F anymore,” she said. “We want every student and family to believe that their school is the best school – that they haven't been relegated to a space because that's where they live. … We want you to be excited about going there, and so we as a district are prioritizing the resources necessary to bring the programs there to ensure you have certified staff and instructors before you in your classes. That has been our message.”

Improving performance

The district’s plans for labels come at a time when many of its students have struggled to succeed academically.

Seventy-seven percent of MSCS third-through-twelfth graders didn’t score proficiently on the English Language Arts section of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) tests last year, while 84% didn’t score proficiently on the math section. The district had a chronic absenteeism rate of 28.1%, which meant over 28,000 students were absent 10% or more of the school year.

MSCS is looking to address issues like these in a variety of ways. For example, baked into its proposed FY 2025 budget are plans to hire 104 literacy coaches – which are set to cost about $9.7 million total – and 79 attendance agents, which are set to cost a total of about $4.2 million.

The hope is that SUPE Schools see significant benefits from investments like these.

“On the other side, the outcome is that your chronic absenteeism rate will decrease, and your achievement, growth, and all those things will increase,” said MSCS CFO Tito Langston, during the retreat.

John Klyce covers education and children's issues for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: MSCS to give schools designations, based on state's letter grades