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National Accreditation Report

After extensive analysis by outside evaluators, the Franklin Special School District received a glowing review and continued accreditation from AdvancED (now Cognia, one of the most esteemed education accrediting agencies in the nation). The Review Team observed classrooms in all FSSD schools, met with hundreds of stakeholders, and reviewed many artifacts and other documentation forms during its visit in April 2018.
 
During the Engagement Review Team’s visit to FSSD, examiners reviewed fifty-three classrooms. Information from these observations helps identify strengths and potential areas to improve. Environments use a 4-point scale from Not Observed (1) to Very Evident (4).

• Equitable Learning:  3.25
• High Expectations:  3.26
• Supportive Learning:  3.69
• Active Learning:  3.25
• Progress Monitoring and Feedback:  3.09
• Well Managed:  3.61
• Digital Learning:  1.84

Powerful Practices

Additionally, the Review Team shared what it found to be “Powerful Practices.” According to the report, “Powerful Practices reflect noteworthy observations and actions that have yielded clear results in student achievement or organizational effectiveness and are actions that exceed what is typically observed or expected in an institution.” 
In short, a Powerful Practice is “something” the system is doing very well and at a high level.  

There were 5 Powerful Practices identified in the FSSD:

• The Board of Education (BOE) ensures adherence to a code of ethics and board policies, which protect, support, and respect the system’s autonomy and school leadership to accomplish the course’s goals.
• The leadership of the Franklin Special School District has effectively implemented outstanding practices in support of excellence in teaching and learning.
• The Franklin Special School District has systematically and systemically developed and implemented an exemplary curriculum aligned to the Tennessee Academic Standards and best practices.
• The Franklin Special School District has developed an exemplary process to attract, recruit, and retain qualified personnel supported through its induction, mentoring, and coaching programs.
• Franklin Special School District allocates and proactively manages human, material, and fiscal resources to support system needs and priorities both in the present and long-term to ensure high student performance levels.

 While the exit report was highly complementary, the whole process provides school districts with additional ways to improve. The Review Team and district leaders identified two opportunities for improvement and one improvement priority:

• Establish and nurture a learning culture for students that engages and promotes project-based learning, collaborative problem-solving, and inquiry learning to develop students’ critical thinking and self-reflection. (Opportunity)
• Develop and implement differentiated instruction opportunities on a regular and frequent basis within classrooms to address the needs and interests of individual learners. (Opportunity)
• Design, implement, and monitor a comprehensive student advocacy program that provides consistent advisory, mentorship, support, and career planning for every student across the school system. (Priority)

According to the report, these items are significant strengths:

• The Response to Intervention (RtI) strategies provided targeted support for the critical development of identified students.
• Parents and students praised the quality of communication efforts of leadership and staff.
• Collaborative efforts between parents, schools, and community-supported “The NOOK” and other initiatives provided for students and families’ needs.
• The use of technology increased learning opportunities and helped prepare the students for the real world.
• Leadership opportunities were afforded to the staff through an innovative initiative, the Leadership Internship Program. This job-embedded professional learning opportunity provided evidence of the system’s intent to build and retain leaders from within.
• The system had established partnerships with the city, county, Chamber of Commerce, and other community entities. They helped leverage resources to the more significant achievement of students and the effectiveness of the organization.
• School Walk Arounds provided principals with opportunities to get “real-time” feedback from the Director and Associate Director of Schools.

The AdvancED Accreditation Process is a clear and comprehensive evaluation and external review program supported by research-based standards and dedicated to helping schools, districts, and education providers continuously improve. The FSSD chose to undergo system accreditation rather than school-by-school accreditation. According to AdvancED’s website, “System accreditation has the power to nurture and support individual school improvement, and at the same time unify school improvement and align it with overall system improvement goals so that the system’s schools are moving in one direction together, on the same page.”

Read the Final Report

• FSSD Improvement Plan 2021-2022

In order for Tennessee to reach its goals that all students have the knowledge and skills to successfully embark upon their chosen path in life, it is important that schools, districts, and the state develop strong plans for improvement that aim to incrementally move towards those long term goals. Therefore, all districts and schools in Tennessee are required to create a comprehensive improvement plan that is developed annually by a diverse group of stakeholders to drive prioritization of the work and associated funding decisions to improve educational opportunities for all students.

During the planning process, stakeholders are challenged to review various data points to identify the current needs of the district or school. Once the needs are identified, the planning team creates aligned goals, strategies, and action steps that align with the prioritized needs. All plans should be monitored regularly and revised based on students’ needs throughout the school year with input from the planning team.

2021-2022 DIP Goals

For more information about the FSSD District Improvement Plan, please contact Pax Wiemers, Ed.D., Supervisor for Student Performance and Federal Programs.

In the early 1900s, school children in Franklin traversed to rural schoolhouses so they could receive instruction. In an effort to raise educational standards and make schooling more convenient, the residents of Franklin persuaded the city’s leadership to take action. On October 27, 1906, the Franklin School Board was created by the City of Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen.  Ordinance No. 28 listed the district’s first School Board members as:

• Mr. Newton Cannon, Sr., first Chairman of the Board
• Mr. E.M. Perkins
• Dr. Kirby Smith Howlett
• Mr. Ben D. Ewin
• Mr. Walter W. Faw
• Mr. Robert Hugh Crockett
• Mr. W.M. Bennett (appointed by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to fill vacated seat of Mr. Perkins)

In April 1907, the Tennessee Legislature officially recognized District Nine, Franklin City School System. The first order of business was to build a school central to the residents who lived in Franklin.  Franklin Grammar School was built in 1907 at Five Points in downtown Franklin, at the cost of $14,812.

In addition, with the establishment of the Franklin City School District in 1907, the Franklin Training School, which educated black students at the time, was transferred to the Franklin City School District from Williamson County. Because this school served students in grades 1-12, the educational responsibilities were shared by both school districts.

In 1949, the Tennessee Legislature allowed Franklin City School District to make changes in its funding sources, thus becoming the first special school district in Tennessee. Among these changes was the authority to approve its own budget and to levy taxes to fund education. From that point forward, the school district would be known as the Franklin Special School District.

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