The Two Nashvilles

The legitimate and pressing question of the future of the Tennessee State Fairgrounds has absorbed the attention of the Mayor, the Council, the media and the city for the last several months. While our eyes were diverted, the Tennessee Department of Education released the annual "No Child Left Behind" report card.

Davidson Co schools got a "D" on their report card. Only 27% of kids K-8 tested proficient or advanced in math. Just 41% of the same group tested proficient or advanced in reading and language. For high school kids, 39% tested proficient or advanced in math and 60% in reading and language. Only 66 of our 133 schools were listed as being in "good standing."

Most troubling are the test scores for economically disadvantaged kids. A dismal 19% of economically disadvantaged kids K-8 tested proficient or advanced. The number for reading and language was 32%. For high school students the percentages was 32% and 50%.

Here in the 23rd District the numbers break down this way:

West Meade Elem: 44% of all students proficient or advanced in math; economically disadvantaged 33%. 45% of all students proficient or advanced in reading/language; economically disadvantaged 37%.

HG Hill Middle: 31% of all students proficient or advanced in math; economically disadvantaged 23%. 43% of all students proficient or advanced in reading/language; economically disadvantaged 36%.

Hillwood HS: 37% of all students proficient or advanced in math; economically disadvantaged 26%; 63% of all students proficient or advanced in reading/language; economically disadvantaged 53%.

I have highlighted the numbers for economically disadvantaged kids because 72% of the Davidson Co System is economically disadvantaged. It is our failure as a city to demand more for these kids that returns weak results system-wide. The middle class of all colors have left the system for private schools, magnets, home school and the border counties.

While proponents for development of the Tennessee State Fairgrounds have spoken in hushed and panicked tones about the critical need for land on which to build office buildings for corporate re-locations (a thesis that does not hold up in Michael Cass' careful reporting this morning) they seem to ignore the one thing fundamental to our City's economic future - an educated workforce.

So, when we cast our eyes southward to gaze enviously at the reflective glass office buildings that line I-65, let's try to emulate something more meaningful long term:

Williamson Co had 59% of all students K-8 test proficient or advanced in math; economically disadvantaged 42%. Better than 3/4 of kids K-8 tested proficient or advanced in reading and language; economically disadvantaged kids came in at 59%. For high school kids 72% tested proficient or advanced in math; economically disadvantaged 44%. The high school group tested 88% in reading/language for all students and 66% for economically disadvantaged. All but one Williamson Co school is listed in "good standing."