Hardeman County superintendent warns state intervention looming for two schools; district team to appear March 23

Doctor Smith, the Hardeman County director, told the school board that two campuses were designated for intensified state oversight after recent letter grades from the Tennessee Department of Education.

"We use 10 of our days. We ask for a waiver for 5 days to be waived. We were it was returned this afternoon. We've received 4 of those days to be waived," Doctor Smith said, summarizing the district's calendar position after the winter storm and the status of waiver requests.

Doctor Smith said the accountability designations reflect multiple measures, including student achievement and growth. He named Volna Middle School and Whiteville Elementary as targeted this year; both received F grades and Level 1 identifications that require additional state action. Because of that status, the district must send a required team to Nashville on March 23 to meet with the Tennessee State Board of Education and answer prehearing questions.

The director described the progressive-intervention options the district faces: use an LEA-led evidence-based turnaround intervention that the state has preapproved; contract an independent turnaround expert approved by the state; or pursue other state options. He said the district favored an LEA-led approach but must await grant confirmation and further guidance from the state.

Doctor Smith said targeted schools will face more frequent state walkthroughs, additional data submissions, and an expectation of clearer improvement plans. He also stressed that the designation does not indicate a lack of staff effort, but signals that current approaches are not producing the expected outcomes and that more direct, state-guided steps will follow.

The board was told that the district expects to learn more about grant funding and next steps after the March meeting. No formal decisions on a specific turnaround contractor or plan were made at the session.