Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

Summary:

Bess T Shepherd Elementary is a public elementary school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, serving 496 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Hamilton County school district, which is ranked 79 out of 139 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating.

Bess T Shepherd Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 20% of Tennessee elementary schools, with significantly lower proficiency rates on state assessments compared to the county and state averages. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates in Mathematics (26.4%), English Language Arts (21.2%), and Science (18.6%) were well below the Westview Elementary (60.1%, 59.2%, and 63.4%) and Wallace A. Smith Elementary (62.3%, 61.8%, and 65.2%), which are also part of the Hamilton County district. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with lower proficiency rates for White students and English Language Learners compared to African American and Hispanic students.

Despite the relatively low academic performance, Bess T Shepherd Elementary has a lower student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending than some nearby schools, such as Barger Academy, Spring Creek Elementary, and Big Ridge Elementary, which have higher proficiency rates. This suggests that factors beyond just funding and staffing may be contributing to the school's underperformance, and targeted interventions and support are needed to address the underlying challenges.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 7126 Tyner RD
       Chattanooga, TN  37421


(423) 855-2611

District: Hamilton County

SchoolDigger Rank:
871st of 1,018 Tennessee Elementary Schools


Students who attend Bess T Shepherd Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Tyner Middle Academy
High:    Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences Upper
    Hamilton County Collegiate High at Chattanooga State
    Sequoyah High School
    STEM School Chattanooga
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  13.2 Help
Number of students:  496

Racial breakdown:

African American:
43.1%
Hispanic:
33.3%
White:
14.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  90.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Bess T Shepherd Elementary School ranks worse than 85.6% of elementary schools in Tennessee. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.91. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Finance
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bess T Shepherd Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Bess T Shepherd Elementary School 871st of 1018 Tennessee public elementary schools. (See Bess T Shepherd Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


Hamilton County:

SchoolDigger ranks Hamilton County 82nd of 140 Tennessee school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 23.84 670th 809 17.2%
2011 21.20 712th 818 13.0%
2012 21.24 716th 820 12.7%
2013 18.84 800th 846 5.4%
2014 8.50 817th 853 4.2%
2015 10.09 828th 855 3.2%
2018 17.18 872nd 997 12.5%
2019 21.90 814th 985 17.4%
2021 17.12 820th 983 16.6%
2022 19.37 827th 1000 17.3%
2023 15.19 879th 1020 13.8%
2024 16.91 871st 1018 14.4%
See the entire list of Tennessee Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.50 36th 95 62.1%
2019 40.49 40th 66 39.4%
2021 39.79 60th 101 40.6%
2022 17.43 163rd 165 1.2%
2023 37.07 108th 164 34.1%
2024 34.68 124th 178 30.3%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.64 737th 877 16.0%
2019 31.23 623rd 821 24.1%
2021 27.44 631st 823 23.3%
2022 33.99 596th 858 30.5%
2023 23.95 711th 865 17.8%
2024 25.34 703rd 853 17.6%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 65.76 6th 18 66.7%
2024 32.76 12th 17 29.4%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 22.23 765th 926 17.4%
2021 18.30 780th 945 17.5%
2022 20.69 787th 975 19.3%
2023 13.08 900th 989 9.0%
2024 22.12 794th 990 19.8%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 22.53 754th 916 17.7%
2021 16.16 810th 941 13.9%
2022 18.50 820th 980 16.3%
2023 18.10 837th 987 15.2%
2024 14.52 887th 991 10.5%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.19 330th 450 26.7%
2019 32.55 268th 404 33.7%
2021 30.84 265th 411 35.5%
2022 35.53 289th 483 40.2%
2023 22.39 409th 500 18.2%
2024 28.75 352nd 498 29.3%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.37 227th 319 28.8%
2019 41.45 131st 250 47.6%
2021 32.17 225th 324 30.6%
2022 24.21 313th 363 13.8%
2023 29.02 298th 387 23.0%
2024 27.35 323rd 415 22.2%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.68 763rd 841 9.3%
2019 21.61 701st 812 13.7%
2021 39.09 503rd 844 40.4%
2022 33.55 581st 844 31.2%
2023 18.57 760th 852 10.8%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Tennessee Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Bess T Shepherd Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

by a student
Friday, May 22, 2015

Open Quote I went to this school my whole life and there was tons of fights every day and bullying. I was victim of bullying I got bullied grades 3-5. I told a teacher and all they did was talk to them. But, they kept bullying me. I recommend not going to this school or moving in the zoneing of it. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1998 562 25 7 4 1 n/a n/a -1 598
1999 266 289 21 21 9 n/a n/a 0 606
2000 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 553 553
2001 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 554 554
2002 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 505 505
2003 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 505 505
2004 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 487 487
2005 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 504 504
2006 141 271 23 64 8 n/a n/a 0 507
2007 117 287 20 96 8 n/a n/a 0 528
2008 123 271 21 89 2 n/a n/a 0 506
2009 105 286 19 105 2 n/a n/a 0 517
2010 110 282 21 111 4 n/a n/a 0 528
2011 120 295 20 106 1 0 1 0 543
2012 120 255 19 115 1 2 0 0 512
2013 134 273 17 138 1 0 0 0 563
2014 123 276 14 166 3 1 2 0 585
2015 89 254 17 196 0 1 4 0 561
2016 82 278 7 174 0 1 3 0 545
2017 68 270 2 191 0 0 6 0 537
2018 81 249 5 188 1 0 11 0 535
2019 62 234 8 191 1 0 27 0 523
2020 71 233 10 198 1 0 50 0 563
2021 59 228 9 199 0 0 44 0 539
2022 63 203 11 165 1 0 48 0 491
2023 70 214 10 165 0 0 37 0 496

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 598 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 606 n/a 0.0 n/a
2000 553 n/a 0.0 n/a
2001 554 n/a 0.0 n/a
2002 505 n/a n/a n/a
2003 505 n/a n/a n/a
2004 487 n/a n/a n/a
2005 504 n/a n/a n/a
2006 507 33.8 15.0 n/a
2007 528 36.7 14.4 72.5
2008 506 33.9 14.9 80.6
2009 517 35.0 14.8 80.7
2010 528 33.7 15.6 80.1
2011 543 35.0 15.5 84.2
2012 512 37.8 13.5 89.3
2013 563 38.1 14.7 85.1
2014 585 39.9 14.6 83.2
2015 561 41.0 13.6 92
2016 545 42.0 12.9 90.6
2017 537 41.6 12.9 n/a
2018 535 36.0 14.8 n/a
2019 523 33.0 15.8 n/a
2020 563 35.0 16.0 n/a
2021 539 41.0 13.1 n/a
2022 491 40.0 12.2 n/a
2023 496 37.5 13.2 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 598 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 606 n/a 0.0 n/a
2000 553 n/a 0.0 n/a
2001 554 n/a 0.0 n/a
2002 505 n/a n/a n/a
2003 505 n/a n/a n/a
2004 487 n/a n/a n/a
2005 504 n/a n/a n/a
2006 507 33.8 15.0 n/a
2007 528 36.7 14.4 72.5
2008 506 33.9 14.9 80.6
2009 517 35.0 14.8 80.7
2010 528 33.7 15.6 80.1
2011 543 35.0 15.5 84.2
2012 512 37.8 13.5 89.3
2013 563 38.1 14.7 85.1
2014 585 39.9 14.6 83.2
2015 561 41.0 13.6 92
2016 545 42.0 12.9 90.6
2017 537 41.6 12.9 n/a
2018 535 36.0 14.8 n/a
2019 523 33.0 15.8 n/a
2020 563 35.0 16.0 n/a
2021 539 41.0 13.1 n/a
2022 491 40.0 12.2 n/a
2023 496 37.5 13.2 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $943 (8.5%) $9,396 (84.9%) $11,066
2020 $822 (7.3%) $9,679 (86.0%) $11,250
2021 $1,261 (10.7%) $9,912 (83.8%) $11,830
2022 $2,105 (15.5%) $10,698 (79.0%) $13,539
2023 $1,747 (13.0%) $10,854 (80.6%) $13,466

Data source: Tennessee Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 814th of 985 Elementary schoolsRanks 879th of 1020 Elementary schools
 3.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Bess T Shepherd Elementary School)33.320.3
 13%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Hamilton County)47.541
 6.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)43.840.5
 3.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bess T Shepherd Elementary School)20.811.3
 9.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hamilton County)36.140.6
 4.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)36.940.5
 3.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Bess T Shepherd Elementary School)2325.7
 2.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Hamilton County)4946.6
 2.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)4643.6
 2.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Bess T Shepherd Elementary School)2123
 2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Hamilton County)38.243.9
 5.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)34.343.5
 9.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Bess T Shepherd Elementary School)30.225.6
 4.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Hamilton County)47.649.6
 2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)46.241.3
 4.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Bess T Shepherd Elementary School)17.720.9
 3.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Hamilton County)34.240.3
 6.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)35.237
 1.8%
All Grades Mathematics (Bess T Shepherd Elementary School)28.523.8
 4.7%
   All Grades Mathematics (Hamilton County)43.239.9
 3.3%
   All Grades Mathematics (Tennessee)40.838.1
 2.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Bess T Shepherd Elementary School)19.818.3
 1.5%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Hamilton County)33.437.3
 3.9%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Tennessee)33.736.6
 2.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students523496
 5.2%
African American234214
 8.5%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian810
 25%
Hispanic191165
 13.6%
Pacific Islander00
White6270
 12.9%
Two or More Races2737
 37%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Bess T Shepherd Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 496 students attended Bess T Shepherd Elementary School.

Students at Bess T Shepherd Elementary School are 43% African American, 33% Hispanic, 14% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Bess T Shepherd Elementary School ranks in the bottom 14.4% of Tennessee elementary schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Tennessee Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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