MC schools receive ‘B’ from state

Moore County Grades

The Tennessee Department of Education has released its annual report card for school districts, and Moore County schools earned an overall “B” grade for both Moore County High School and Lynchburg Elementary School.

The report highlights significant achievements while outlining areas for improvement, a balance that Director of Schools Chad Moorehead emphasized during Monday’s Board of Education meeting.

“We have a lot to celebrate in our student scores and we have some areas that definitely need some attention that we’ll be focusing on,” Moorehead said.

Moore County demonstrated academic excellence, ranking second in the South Central District and 49th statewide for proficiency.

LES stood out with top rankings in several areas:

  • No. 1 in South Central District: 5th Grade science, 6th Grade math, science, and social studies.
  • No. 2 in South Central District: 6th Grade language arts.
  • No. 3 in South Central District: 3rd Grade language arts and science.

MCHS also shone brightly:

  • No. 1 in South Central District: 8th Grade math, science, and social studies; biology; and Algebra II.
  • No. 2 in South Central District: 7th Grade science, social studies, language arts; and ACT scores (state rank: 24th).
  • No. 3 in South Central District: English II and geometry.

In addition to proficiency, Moore County excelled in growth rankings. The district achieved top positions in several areas:

  • No. 1 in South Central District: 5th Grade science, 6th Grade math, 8th Grade math, high school Algebra II, and high school biology.
  • No. 3 in South Central District: 6th and 7th Grade science, and 8th Grade social studies.

“I think it’s also worth saying that several of our rankings in growth, which are different than proficiency, are also in the first, second, third level there,” Board Chair Tanya Vann added,

“That’s difficult to get both of those things to happen at the same time. ... It’s good to see both.”

Moorehead noted that the ACT scores, reflecting the Class of 2023, show Moore County’s high school students are excelling. MCHS trailed only Lincoln County, with a composite score just three-10ths of a point higher.

He added that Manchester City Schools – an elementary and middle school-only district – would have outpaced Moore County without the high school rankings included.

Moore County’s comprehensive success makes it the top-ranked district in the region for districts with high schools.