Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

Summary:

Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy is an elementary school in Chattanooga, Tennessee that serves 411 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade, and is part of the Hamilton County school district.

Despite spending significantly more per student ($13,611) than nearby schools, Calvin Donaldson consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Tennessee, with proficiency rates in TNReady Math, English Language Arts, and Science that are well below the Hamilton County and state averages. The school's student population is predominantly African American (73.48%) and Hispanic (17.52%), and these subgroups perform particularly poorly, ranking in the bottom 10-20% of Tennessee elementary schools. In contrast, nearby schools like Tommie F. Brown Academy, East Side Elementary, and Chattanooga School for the Arts and Science Lower demonstrate that schools within the same district can have vastly different performance levels.

The persistent low performance and significant racial and socioeconomic disparities at Calvin Donaldson suggest deep-rooted challenges that the school has struggled to address, despite its relatively low student-teacher ratio of 12.2. This raises questions about the effective use of resources and the need for a more targeted, evidence-based approach to school improvement that can address the unique needs of the school's student population.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-5

 927 West 37th ST
       Chattanooga, TN  37410


(423) 825-7337

District: Hamilton County

SchoolDigger Rank:
1010th of 1,018 Tennessee Elementary Schools


Students who attend Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy usually attend:

Middle:    Orchard Knob Middle School
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:  12.2 Help
Number of students:  411

Racial breakdown:

African American:
73.5%
Hispanic:
17.5%
Two or more races:
5.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  97.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy ranks worse than 99.2% of elementary schools in Tennessee. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.58. (See more...)
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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:

Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy 1010th of 1018 Tennessee public elementary schools. (See Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
African American students:


Hamilton County:

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


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Rank History for Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 8.16 784th 809 3.1%
2011 5.21 804th 818 1.7%
2012 26.89 676th 820 17.6%
2013 23.08 777th 846 8.2%
2014 11.78 799th 853 6.3%
2015 18.44 778th 855 9.0%
2019 5.58 973rd 985 1.2%
2021 10.04 905th 983 7.9%
2022 6.11 986th 1000 1.4%
2023 5.97 999th 1020 2.1%
2024 4.58 1010th 1018 0.8%
See the entire list of Tennessee Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 9.76 809th 821 1.5%
2021 15.50 769th 823 6.6%
2022 8.93 854th 858 0.5%
2023 12.38 830th 865 4.0%
2024 9.88 847th 853 0.7%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 8.69 901st 926 2.7%
2022 5.34 972nd 975 0.3%
2023 6.51 978th 989 1.1%
2024 5.13 986th 990 0.4%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 5.11 916th 916 0.0%
2021 19.12 780th 941 17.1%
2022 10.56 926th 980 5.5%
2023 7.30 964th 987 2.3%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 14.66 385th 404 4.7%
2021 26.94 293rd 411 28.7%
2022 14.60 472nd 483 2.3%
2023 16.37 467th 500 6.6%
2024 11.96 488th 498 2.0%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 24.23 213th 250 14.8%
2021 16.42 316th 324 2.5%
See the entire list of Best Tennessee Elementary Schools for Hispanic 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.

Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Tennessee Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1999 1 414 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 417
2000 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 456 456
2002 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 264 264
2003 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 264 264
2005 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 260 260
2006 11 252 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 263
2007 9 282 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 292
2008 15 305 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 327
2009 16 297 1 6 0 n/a n/a 0 320
2010 10 261 1 7 0 n/a n/a 0 279
2011 7 271 0 8 0 0 1 0 287
2012 10 280 0 14 0 0 1 0 305
2013 6 280 0 17 0 0 3 0 306
2014 15 316 0 18 0 0 1 0 350
2015 23 310 0 45 0 0 3 0 381
2016 18 339 0 70 0 0 4 0 431
2017 14 380 0 72 0 0 9 0 475
2018 19 388 0 65 0 0 4 0 476
2019 9 388 0 63 0 0 14 0 474
2020 19 382 0 76 0 0 24 0 501
2021 15 345 0 73 0 0 17 0 450
2022 13 312 0 63 0 0 18 0 406
2023 13 302 0 72 2 0 22 0 411

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 Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 417 n/a 0.0 n/a
2000 456 n/a 0.0 n/a
2002 264 n/a n/a n/a
2003 264 n/a n/a n/a
2005 260 n/a n/a n/a
2006 263 20.0 13.2 n/a
2007 292 23.0 12.7 89.4
2008 327 19.6 16.7 89.6
2009 320 26.0 12.3 95.3
2010 279 25.7 10.8 98.9
2011 287 23.6 12.1 99
2012 305 23.0 13.2 92.8
2013 306 23.6 12.9 94.1
2014 350 21.9 15.9 98
2015 381 29.0 13.1 85.8
2016 431 29.0 14.8 97.9
2017 475 35.6 13.3 n/a
2018 476 30.4 15.6 n/a
2019 474 33.0 14.3 n/a
2020 501 32.0 15.6 n/a
2021 450 36.0 12.5 n/a
2022 406 37.5 10.8 n/a
2023 411 33.5 12.2 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 Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 417 n/a 0.0 n/a
2000 456 n/a 0.0 n/a
2002 264 n/a n/a n/a
2003 264 n/a n/a n/a
2005 260 n/a n/a n/a
2006 263 20.0 13.2 n/a
2007 292 23.0 12.7 89.4
2008 327 19.6 16.7 89.6
2009 320 26.0 12.3 95.3
2010 279 25.7 10.8 98.9
2011 287 23.6 12.1 99
2012 305 23.0 13.2 92.8
2013 306 23.6 12.9 94.1
2014 350 21.9 15.9 98
2015 381 29.0 13.1 85.8
2016 431 29.0 14.8 97.9
2017 475 35.6 13.3 n/a
2018 476 30.4 15.6 n/a
2019 474 33.0 14.3 n/a
2020 501 32.0 15.6 n/a
2021 450 36.0 12.5 n/a
2022 406 37.5 10.8 n/a
2023 411 33.5 12.2 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 Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,091 (10.1%) $8,960 (83.1%) $10,787
2020 $1,712 (13.7%) $10,061 (80.7%) $12,460
2021 $2,411 (17.7%) $10,502 (77.2%) $13,611
2022 $2,811 (18.4%) $11,553 (75.7%) $15,257
2023 $3,856 (22.9%) $12,096 (71.8%) $16,836

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

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 973rd of 985 Elementary schoolsRanks 999th of 1020 Elementary schools
 0.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy)6.111.5
 5.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Hamilton County)47.541
 6.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)43.840.5
 3.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy)7.59.8
 2.3%
   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 (Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy)5.914.8
 8.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Hamilton County)4946.6
 2.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Tennessee)4643.6
 2.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy)5.711.1
 5.4%
   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 (Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy)12.37.7
 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 (Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy)13.95.8
 8.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Hamilton County)34.238.7
 4.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Tennessee)35.237.7
 2.5%
All Grades Mathematics (Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy)8.211.7
 3.5%
   All Grades Mathematics (Hamilton County)43.239.9
 3.3%
   All Grades Mathematics (Tennessee)40.838.1
 2.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy)9.18.4
 0.7%
   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 Students474411
 13.3%
African American388302
 22.2%
American Indian02
Asian00
Hispanic6372
 14.3%
Pacific Islander00
White913
 44.4%
Two or More Races1422
 57.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy

In the 2022-23 school year, 411 students attended Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy.

Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy ranks in the bottom 0.8% of Tennessee elementary schools.

Students at Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy are 73% African American, 18% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% White.


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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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