The Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS) has recognized Dr. Bryan Johnson, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools as the S.E. Tennessee Superintendent of the Year. Dr. Johnson was selected for this honor by his peers for leadership in learning, communication, professionalism, and community involvement. Johnson just completed his third school year with Hamilton County Schools. He will be one of eight finalists for Tennessee Superintendent of the Year.
Hamilton County Schools has experienced historic academic growth and achievement since Dr. Johnson took over the school system in July 2017. The district’s academic growth in moving from the #130 school district in Tennessee for student growth in 2017 to the #2 ranked school district in student growth today, makes Hamilton County Schools the fastest improving school district in Tennessee. The district was a Level 1 in 2017 on the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System. The district rose to Level 3 in 2018 and rocketed to Level 5, the top level for the state for academic growth this year. Hamilton County Schools earned Level 5 as a district overall and in all individual categories.
Accomplishments for Hamilton County Schools include:
• 32 Reward Schools – Reward status is the top distinction a school can earn in Tennessee.
• 45 Level 5 schools for student academic growth
• 21 schools earned Level 5 across the board in all categories
• 66 schools at or above state expectations for growth
• 80 percent of the district’s teachers met or exceeded student growth expectations
“It’s a tremendous honor to be selected by your peers who are themselves doing such great work for children each day,” said Dr. Johnson. “The selection is a true testament to the hard work of our great teachers, leaders, and community that come together to bring to life the vision of excellence our school board has for the children of the community.”
In communication and community involvement, Dr. Johnson has worked hard to involve teachers, parents, students, and the community in the transformation of Hamilton County Schools. He holds community listening sessions each year to bring the community into the budget setting process to determine priorities. He has Sit-downs with the Superintendent with teachers at schools to hear how district policies impact the classroom and what he can do to help teachers be even more effective in reaching children. Johnson also has a Teacher Cabinet that shares ideas with him to improve results for children. For the student perspective, he has the Superintendent Student Advisory Council to give him insight into how students view their school experience.
In February, Education Week, an independent news organization covering K-12 education, announced that Dr. Johnson, as one of their Leaders to Learn From for 2020. Education Week honored Dr. Johnson for leadership in career and technical education, his vision to bring Future Ready Institutes to Hamilton County Schools, and the impact those have on preparing graduates to be ready for future success. TOSS feature Johnson in their 2019 June Superintendent Spotlight on the organization’s website. He was named an Austin Peay State University 2019 Alumni Award winner, receiving an Outstanding Young Alumni Award, and he was the only school superintendent chosen for the seventh class of Leadership Tennessee this year.