The state Department of Education released results from last year’s TNReady assessments Thursday, which, from the preliminary data, were a “mixed bag” for Marshall County, according to Director of Schools Jacob Sorrells.

“Some things are up, some things are lower,” he said.

Overall, Marshall County Schools were ranked as an Advancing District, the second highest ranking after Exemplary Districts.

Districts are ranked on several factors including achievement, student growth in learning, graduation rates, and absenteeism, among others.

Only 20 of the state’s 138 districts received the exemplary ranking.

The district was also ranked as advancing last year but was recognized as exemplary following the 2016-17 school year.

Student achievement for each of the grade ranges; 3rd through 5th, 6th through 8th, and 9th through 12th, was scored as a 3, on a five point scale, county-wide, matching last year.

Achievement by subgroup, based on either ethnic, economic, or special status, showed greater improvement at the elementary and junior high levels, with scores of 4 in every category except one.

Three county schools were singled out for special attention.

Both Cornersville Elementary School and Westhills Elementary School were designated as Reward Schools by the state. This marks the third year in a row that Westhills has been so honored, based on “improving in terms of achievement and growth for both all students and all student groups.”

“We’re really proud of both schools,” said Sorrells.

Both schools scored a 5 for student growth, the highest score on the five-point scale.

TDOE designated Lewisburg Middle School as a Targeted Support and Improvement School, meaning that a demographic subgroup in the school needed extra attention.

White students at LMS did not perform as well as the state data predicted last year, meaning that TDOE will designate additional funding and support for that subgroup at LMS.

While the school system is still waiting for all of the data from the testing to be released by the state, Sorrells said that the schools were already working to improve.

“We’ve had great meetings with all of our principals to address our areas of need, on the limited amount of data we have in,” Sorrells said.