- In 2008, 78% of Benwood (phase 1) 3rd graders passed the state exam in reading/language arts, up dramatically from 53% in 2003.
- In 2008, 72% of Benwood (phase 1) 3rd graders scored proficient or advanced in mathematics, up from 50% in 2003.
- Benwood I 5th graders saw even more dramatic improvements in math, with 91% passing the state exam in 2008. This is a big jump from 57% in 2003, which suggests a significant benefit from the model classroom teachers who work in grades 4 and 5.
- Similarly, 5th grade reading scores have jumped from 62% passing in 2003 to 89% in 2008.
- The Benwood Initiative has expanded to include 8 additional schools.
- After one year of planning, eight of the sixteen Benwood II schools earned “A”s in all four subjects measured by Tennessee's Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS).
- Twelve of the sixteen schools saw increases in the percentage of students scoring advanced in reading/language arts, and nine schools increased the percentage of students scoring advanced in math.
- In 2006, the Benwood Initiative was featured on the PBS NewsHour by education reporter John Merrow. Merrow was so impressed by his interview with eight Benwood teachers that he posted a podcast of that interview on his own website, Learning Matters.
- The Benwood Initiative has also been highlighted and praised by Education Week, Reader's Digest, Tennessee House of Representatives, National Education Writers Association, Education Trust, Catalyst Chicago, former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, and the Washington Post.
For more information on the Benwood Initiative, contact:
Clara Sale-Davis, Director
423.668.2427
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