Ingram South principal reports 33% chronic absenteeism, low test scores and rising mental-health needs

Tracy Marks, principal of Ingram South Elementary, told the Lawrence County School System board on Jan. 23 that Ingram South is currently classified as an underperforming school and has a D school letter grade on statewide measures.

Marks said Ingram South’s most immediate problems are low reading scores and attendance: "Right now we do, we're currently classified as an underperforming school. We have significant room for growth in our test scores and just overall student achievement," she said. Of 357 students counted for summative assessment, 285 are economically disadvantaged; 119 of those 357 students were counted as chronically absent (about 33 percent). Marks noted a large medically fragile population and said absences for legitimate medical reasons still affect the school’s accountability data.

Marks described classroom- and school-level responses: a focus on oral-reading fluency (branded locally as Reading Raptors), sight-word practice sent home for parental signatures or checked in school, targeted tutoring and…