CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – For the third year in a row, the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System has maintained the state’s highest growth rating while setting multiple district records in student academic growth.
For the 2025-26 school year, CMCSS maintained a Level 5 District Composite score, the highest possible rating in the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS), according to a CMCSS news release. The district has now maintained a three-year streak at the state’s highest growth level for only the second time in it history. The first occurred in 2016, according to the release.
24 CMCSS schools achieved the state’s highest composite growth rating at a Level 5. That marks an increase from 17 Level 5 schools in 2024-25 and from just two schools in 2020-21. CMCSS also reported several district milestones in the latest TVAAS data, including a record 95.2% of schools meeting or exceeding state growth expectations and no schools receiving the lowest Level 1 composite designation for the first time in district history.
“This TVAAS data reflects the extraordinary focus, determination, and hard work of our educators, students, administrators, support staff, and families across CMCSS,” said Dr. Jean Luna-Vedder, Director of Schools. “As I visit schools each week, I see the incredible teaching and learning occurring across the district, so I know these sustained improvements in our data reflect hard work, not luck. Our priority from my first day in July 2022 has been for CMCSS to be the best school system in the state for students, families, and employees, and by working collaboratively, we continue moving CMCSS in the right direction.”
Additional TVAAS highlights from the 2025-26 school year include:
- All middle and high schools met or exceeded state growth expectations for the first time in district history. None of them scored in Levels 1 or 2.
- CMCSS secondary schools achieved a combined mean growth score of 4.65, the highest secondary mean growth score in district history, surpassing the previous record of 4.27 set in 2014-15.
- The districtwide mean school score reached 4.21, making 2025-25 one of the strongest overall growth years on record and just below the district record of 4.28 set in 2014-15.
- Six schools improved from a Level 1 composite score in 2024-25 to a Level 5 composite score in 2025-26, while 31% of schools improved by two or more levels compared to last year.
The district also highlighted growth across multiple subject areas over the past four school years:
| Scores by year | 25-26 | 24-25 | 23-24 | 22-23 |
| Composite | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| Literacy | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Numeracy | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Literacy and Numeracy | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Science | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Social Studies | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
“These outstanding results prove that our intentional focus on teaching and learning is driving growth and achievement in our schools, which will positively impact outcomes for students and our entire community,” said Dr. Schanda Doughty, Chief Academic Officer. “We remain focused on our opportunities for refinement, and we will continue supporting educators, administrators, students, and families with the resources and training to continue our upward trajectory.”
In addition to student growth metrics, CMCSS students outperformed statewide proficiency averages in every tested subject area, according to the release. CMCSS reported the following proficiency rates compared to state averages:
| Proficiency rates | CMCSS | State average |
| Overall ELA | 44.1% | 42.3% |
| Overall Math | 41.4% | 40.9% |
| Overall Science | 54.5% | 47.3% |
| Overall Social Studies | 58.9% | 50% |
The district also reported proficiency gains across several tested subjects between 2022 and 2026:
| Year | Math | Algebra 1 | Algebra 2 | Geometry | ELA | English I | English II | Social Studies | US History |
| 2026 | 42.1% | 31.3% | 39.5% | 48.7% | 42.3% | 35.4% | 64.6% | 59% | 58.3% |
| 2022 | 36% | 14.3% | 23.1% | 22.5% | 36.7% | 36.3% | 51.5% | 55.3% | 47.1% |
| 2022-26 | +6.1% | +17% | +16.4% | +26.2% | +5.6% | -0.9% | +13.1% | +3.7% | +11.2% |
The following schools earned a Level 5 composite growth score in 2025-26:
- Barkers Mill Elementary
- Barksdale Elementary
- Byrns Darden Elementary
- Carmel Elementary
- Cumberland Heights Elementary
- East Montgomery Elementary
- Kirkwood Elementary
- Norman Smith Elementary
- Pisgah Elementary
- Sango Elementary
- West Creek Elementary
- Kirkwood Middle
- Montgomery Central Middle
- New Providence Middle
- Northeast Middle
- West Creek Middle
- Clarksville High
- Kenwood High
- Kirkwood High
- Middle College at APSU
- Montgomery Central High
- Northeast High
- Northwest High
- Rossview High
CMCCS said additional accountability data, state report card grades, and school and district designations are expected from the Tennessee Department of Education in the coming weeks.
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