Putnam Schools Looking to Improve Graduation Rates

Putnam County Schools will look to improve graduation ratings after coming in with the lowest percentages across the Upper Cumberland.

The Tennessee Department of Education reports the district saw roughly 90 percent of students graduate in 2018. Superintendent Jerry Boyd said improving the various subgroups will help the district’s overall performance.

“We know we really have to rethink our strategies on how we support students to graduate on time that may be receiving special education services,” Boyd said. “Then there’s other subgroups  – our homeless subgroup was at 70 percent. There are challenges in supporting our families that identify as homeless. We just have to look at our resources and our strategies and how we can better support all students, not just these students represented in these categories.”

Boyd said schools with smaller student populations, such as Monterey High School, may be more vulnerable as only a handful of students can effect percentages.

“If you have one student that doesn’t graduate on time, that significantly impacts that percentage,” Boyd said. “[Schools with] large numbers have challenges, but sometimes there are positive things about having large numbers. A few students do not impact the total number, but in small schools, a few students can impact that final number as it applies to the school’s graduation rate.”

Boyd said the district will continue to look beyond the subgroups and shift their focus on individual students to assure their success.

“By our numbers this year, we did not meet the goal for approximately 84 students to graduate on time that entered as 9th graders… and finish in four years,” Boyd said. “With next year’s graduating class, we’re on track to have a better graduation rate, but we’ve got to make sure all of the students that are in that cohort that still remain so we can support them and they graduate on time.”

Among Putnam County high schools, Cookeville and Upperman saw a graduation rating of roughly 90 percent, while Monterey fell behind to 87 percent.