A mixed report card: Reading lags, ACT beats target

School board OK’s state reports, receives update on enrollment, transportation costs, improvements awaiting funding

10:04 a.m. Oct. 14, 2026

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Moore County Schools missed its third-grade reading goal by 16 percentage points last year, and its latest accountability plan sets a more modest target for 2026-27.

The district reported that 43% of third-graders met state reading expectations in 2025-26, well below its 59% goal. The new target is 44.35%, just 1.35 percentage points above last year's result.

Those numbers are part of the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Accountability Report approved by the Moore County Board of Education during its regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 13.

The report also shows a mixed picture in college readiness. Moore County exceeded its ACT performance target last year, but the percentage of students earning a composite score of 21 or higher fell from 50% to 46%.

The board also approved the district's annual compliance certification, received an enrollment report showing 937 students attending Moore County's two schools, and reviewed facility needs and transportation expenses.

TISA plan sets new academic goals

Director of Schools Chad Moorehead told board members the state has combined what previously were two separate requirements – the district improvement plan and the TISA accountability plan – into one document.

Third-grade reading remains a priority. Although proficiency improved from 37.5% to 43% last year, the district's new target calls for only modest additional progress. The longer-term objective remains 70% proficiency, with additional annual targets of 45.70% in 2027-28 and 47.05% in 2028-29.

To improve reading performance, the district plans to continue using high-quality instructional materials, including CKLA/Amplify, along with teacher coaching, classroom observations, and targeted help for students who are struggling.

The new plan calls for 46% of students to earn a composite ACT score of 21 or higher in 2026-27, followed by 50.3% in 2027-28 and 53.6% by the 2028-29 school year.

Moore County plans to continue ACT preparation camps, use diagnostic testing to identify weaknesses in reading and math, and provide additional instruction where students need help.

The district also wants to raise English language arts proficiency by three percentage points across each grade band this school year. The targets are 45% for grades three through five, 43% for grades six through eight, and 44% for high school English courses.

For kindergarten through second grade, the goal is to increase by at least five percentage points the share of students moving from below-average or at-risk reading performance to grade-level benchmarks.

In mathematics, the district's 2026-27 targets are 39% proficiency for grades three through five, 45% for grades six through eight, and 24% on high school end-of-course assessments.

The plan calls for small-group tutoring, including before-school assistance, more frequent assessments, and changes in classroom instruction based on student performance. It also identifies the TN ALL Corps Tutoring Innovation Grant as a resource for expanding academic support.

Moorehead credited district staff members Lashonda Hill and Melissa Eslick with pulling the planning documents together.

The TISA report is posted on the school system's website for public review, and Moorehead said it can still be revised before the Nov. 1 submission deadline. "What you're reviewing tonight is still a living document," he told board members.

Parents and residents can review the district's 2026-27 TISA plan online before it is submitted to the state. Public comments received before the deadline may be incorporated into the final version, with any resulting changes brought back to the board.

Moorehead also expressed frustration with the state's new reporting platform. Combining the plans may have eliminated some duplication, but he said working within the system has not necessarily become easier.

The board approved the accountability report without opposition.

All five board members attended Tuesday's meeting: District 1 Bruce Church, District 2 Carrie Barnett, District 3 Greg Thompson, District 4 Kaleigh Hatfield, and District 5 Tanya Vann.

Board approves annual compliance report

The board also approved the district's 2026 Local Education Agency (LEA) Compliance Report, an annual certification that Moore County Schools is following applicable federal and state education laws and Tennessee State Board of Education rules.

Moorehead said the report covers a broad range of requirements, with links to the relevant laws and regulations included in the board's materials. "This is basically us certifying that we're in compliance with all the federal and state education laws and state board of education rules," Moorehead explained.

He acknowledged that keeping up with those requirements is an ongoing responsibility. "My general statement on that is we're in compliance as far as we know," he said. "And when we find out we're not, we make changes to make those adjustments as quickly as possible."

The board approved the compliance report without opposition, allowing Moorehead to submit the certification to the state.

Enrollment stands at 937 students

Moorehead reported that 937 students are currently enrolled in Moore County Schools, with 524 attending Lynchburg Elementary School and 413 attending Moore County High School.

Enrollment also figured into the board's annual review of classroom sizes and facility needs. At Lynchburg Elementary, the average class size for kindergarten through third grade is approximately 18 students, compared with the state's maximum average of 20 for that grade band. In grades four through six, Moore County averages approximately 23 students per class, compared with a maximum average of 25.

Moorehead said the district remains within those average requirements, although some individual classrooms may have more students than others.

At the high school, class sizes vary considerably. Career and technical education courses generally have smaller numbers, while core academic subjects can be more difficult to staff because teachers must hold certifications in specific areas.

Board members discussed the distinction between average class-size requirements and the maximum number of students permitted in an individual classroom. Moorehead offered to provide additional clarification on those limits.

Hatfield wants facility projects prioritized

Moore County Schools has a lengthy list of improvements it would like to make when money becomes available. Board member Kaleigh Hatfield wants to know which ones should come first.

During the annual facility assessment, Moorehead shared projects dating back years, including some removed from earlier school renovations because of funding limitations. The list includes parking lot paving for baseball and softball, improvements to football stadium facilities, tennis courts, security upgrades, classroom door-access controls, and additional work at Lynchburg Elementary.

The football stadium's lighting system dates to 1973, Moorehead told the board. Other projects involve upgrading security cameras, improving weapons detection, and addressing restroom flooring in the elementary school's two-story building.

Hatfield's suggestion opened a discussion about separating essential improvements from projects that can wait, along with those that might remain out of reach without additional funding. Board members favored having school administrators and staff develop an initial ranking because they work with the buildings and equipment daily. The board could then review those recommendations and make adjustments.

Moorehead acknowledged that finding the money remains the biggest obstacle. "When it comes to funding, sadly, all of this is a wish list pretty much when we have the opportunity," he said.

No individual facility project received funding approval during the discussion.

Diesel costs put pressure on transportation budget

Moore County Schools has spent approximately $20,408 on diesel fuel so far this fiscal year, an expense that drew attention during the board's review of quarterly revenue and expenditures.

Fuel remains one of the district's more difficult costs to predict. The school system purchases diesel through the co-op, paying the prevailing price when its tank is filled, generally about once a month.

Board members discussed whether other purchasing arrangements, including locking in fuel prices ahead of time, might save money. Moorehead cautioned against judging transportation spending solely by the first quarter. Some expenses, including vehicle insurance, are paid near the beginning of the fiscal year rather than spread evenly across 12 months.

A bus repair has also added to the transportation figures. Moorehead said an insurance-covered repair initially estimated at approximately $11,000 in damage ultimately totaled $18,000. The district is working with the insurance company to recover the additional $7,000.

Electricity was another expense Moorehead identified as running high early in the fiscal year. Even with those concerns, he said the overall budget appeared to be in reasonably good shape. Local property tax collections later in the year will help strengthen the district's cash position.

Board members also discussed potential Tennessee Valley Authority incentives for lighting and energy-efficiency improvements, including possible upgrades to athletic field lighting.

In another transportation update, Moorehead reported that the district sold Bus 8 for $1,500 through GovDeals after an earlier buyer failed to complete the purchase.

Restroom repairs finished, radios replaced

Fall break gave the district time to complete several maintenance projects, including restroom repairs at Lynchburg Elementary, which came in well below the original estimate.

Moorehead said the work was initially expected to cost approximately $20,000. School maintenance personnel handled demolition and removed and reinstalled fixtures, allowing the contracted portion of the project to be completed for less than $10,000. The work also included replacing unusually small toilets with full-size fixtures.

• The district finished upgrading its bus and handheld radios to equipment compatible with Moore County's newer communications system. Moorehead said reception has improved considerably, even in remote areas of the county. With the new radios operating, the board approved declaring 14 old bus radios and 19 handheld units surplus. The equipment will be offered for sale through GovDeals.

• A retaining wall damaged by a truck has also been repaired, with insurance covering the work.

• On the elementary playground, Moorehead authorized a $500 concrete pad for an accessible swing while the contractor was already on-site. He said the relatively low price made it worthwhile to go ahead with the work.

Federal monitoring, personnel updates

Moore County Schools is undergoing a federal monitoring review covering special education, federal education funding, and career and technical education. Central office personnel have been gathering and submitting documentation ahead of the on-site review scheduled for the week of Oct. 19. Moorehead said the district was selected in part because it had been a long time since its previous monitoring review.

He praised staff members for their preparation and said the system would make any required adjustments throughout the process.

• In personnel updates, Joni Smith and Hannah Qualls filled two highly modified instruction (HMI) teacher assistant positions.

• Wendy Hart was hired for an interim special education assignment at the high school during Taylor Meadows' maternity leave.

Monthly meetings moving to 5 p.m.

The board also approved moving its regular monthly meeting time from 6 p.m. to 5 p.m. Meetings will continue on the second Monday of each month.

Board members discussed the earlier start as a way to better accommodate schedules, particularly during the school sports season.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 9, at 5 p.m. at the Moore County Department of Education Building, 308 Mechanic St. N.