Page 23 – Chattanooga News Chronicle

-

November 29, 2023

Serena Williams, Ruby Bridges to be Inducted Into the National Women’s Hall of Fame

By BOTWCS

It’s a monumental moment! Two icons, tennis phenom Serena Williams and civil rights pioneer Ruby Bridges, are set to be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, NBC News reports. Bridges and Williams have been added to the 2024 inductee class, along with eight other honorees announced this past spring. 

Both women have contributed enormous strides in the world. Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion, is one of the most decorated athletes of our time. She was also recently honored as the first athlete to win the Fashion Icon Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. 

Meanwhile, Bridges was just 6 years old when she first made history, becoming one of the first Black students to desegregate schools in New Orleans in 1960. Bridges is depicted in the famous Norman Rockwell painting entitled “The Problem We All Live With.” Bridges has continued to be an activist throughout her life, founding The Ruby Bridges Foundation more than 24 years ago, which advocates for tolerance and change through education. 

“The 2024 inductee class has broken barriers, challenged the status quo, and left an impact on history,” the Hall of Fame said via announcement. 

The two will be inducted alongside Kimberlé Crenshaw, a civil rights activist and a leading scholar on critical race theory, Loretta Ross, founder of the National Center for Human Rights Education in Atlanta, and Dr. Patricia Bath, a pioneering ophthalmologist, and the first Black woman doctor to receive a medical patent, who will be inducted posthumously. 

“The 2024 class of inductees are scientists, activists, performers, and athletes who are the changemakers of today and inspiration for the women of tomorrow. Their dedication, drive, and talent got them here, and we’re thrilled to honor them on the national stage,” said Jennifer Gabriel, chief executive of the Hall of Fame. 

The induction ceremony will be broadcast nationally for the first time ever.  For the full list of the Class of 2024 National Women’s Hall of Fame inductees please visit online at https://www.womenofthehall.org

Nation’s Capitol Gets First Woman Police Chief

National

Submitted Article

-

November 29, 2023

0

Nation’s Capitol Gets First Woman Police Chief

By Reginald Stuart

WASHINGTON, DC — A Baptist minister with a 24-year career of work in the National Park Service was unanimously confirmed this week by local political leaders to head the local law enforcement ranks of the nation’s Capitol.

Pamela Smith, a D.C. native who has long lived in the city, went to work this summer as interim Chief -of-Police amid rising incidents of crime of all sorts in the nation’s capitol and its suburbs. She has promised local citizens to energize the city’s under-staffed Police Force and combat the surge of car jackings, retail store thefts by sporadic mobs of vandals, in most cases young people and juveniles.

It’s been less of a celebratory time for the first few months on the job for Chief Smith, the first woman chief of police for the city. For sure, she hit the ground running with the Mayor Muriel Bowser and the city’s entourage of local lawmakers and volunteers, seeking peace in the streets. 

The impact to date, has been repeatedly derailed by more negative surges overshadowing positive news.

Earlier this week, Mayor Bowser, who has spent much time issuing notes of condolences to numerous families around the city who’ve lost loved ones to recent deaths on top of covid-19 losses, issued an emergency order aimed and responding to the city’s opioid crisis and surge in youth violence.

Opioids, fentanyl and similar illegal synthetic drugs have “inflicted profound harm” on the city’s communities, Mayor Bowser said, in hoping to give Chief Smith backing. Regarding the youth crime outburst Chief Smith faces head on…“This violence is having a devastating impact on our victims, their families, communities and the District as a whole,” she said, in a statement.

The “opioid crisis,” as the Mayor describes it, was linked to 96 per cent of the fatal overdoses in the District in 2022. Opioid related fatal overdoses have more than doubled from 213 to 461 deaths per year, from 2018 to 2022. In 2023, fentanyl overdose deaths account for 98 percent per of all overdose fatalities.

As for young violence, in the first nine months of this year, there have been 458 arrests of juveniles for violent crimes, 10 per cent more than the total arrest in 2022. These crimes include robbery, carjacking and homicides. 

Between January and October of this year, 97 juveniles suffered gunshot wounds including, 15 homicides This includes one young lady killing a childhood friend during a dispute at a fast-food restaurant over who had the best tasting sweet and sour sauce.  Several young people died in a crash of four vehicles driven by a young teen-ager who had been drinking.

The reading of tragic examples of violent deaths of young teens in D.C. goes on and on. Chief Smith has called for greater community outreach, hoping her presence as an officer of the law plays well with her being a preacher. Numerous groups have stepped in with mentoring programs for students, scholarship programs and stop-gap employment.     

At the same time, the federal government, which still retains ultimate rule of the city, continues to keep its finances fragile and limits the City’s efforts to have strict gun control laws. Congress did manage to avert another shutdown (temporarily) in the absence of approving a new federal budget for the year. Thousands of the city’s young people rely on their parents who work for the federal government. The saga continues as Congress stumbles to approve a new fiscal budget.

Blacks Vote for Big Changes in Virginia 

National

Adrian Edwards

-

November 29, 2023

0

by Reginald Stuart

The political elections last week in Virginia began a dramatic new chapter in history with voters awarding Democrats control of the state’s House of Delegates for the first time in the state’s 400-year history. 

With political control of the 100 -seat House legislative body shifting in the November elections to Democrats from Republicans, the new House leadership is set to be run by Representative Donald L. Scott, Jr. a Houston-born son of a single mother who went from the schools in Houston and proceeded to climb a tough ladder to professional and public political leadership. His nomination to Speaker of the House, strongly supported by the new House majority, is to be confirmed in January.

The state legislature leadership change marked “…the first day of a new Virginia,” Scott told supporters after the surprising outcome of the elections became clear and preparations by leaders of both parties began working on a seamless transition of power.

The election results “thwarted MAGA Republicans’ attempt to take control of our government and our bodies,” said state Senator Mamie Locke, referring to the millions of dollars spent by former president Donald Trump and staunchly conservative Republicans on campaigns to solidify Republican control of both houses of the legislature. 

The Republican Party effort would have kept the antiabortion campaign and hard line conservative political values intact, like restricting voting rights and leveling the playing field for the poor and underrepresented in court.     

A graduate of Texas A&M University and the Louisiana State University School of Law, Scott soon was convicted of holding illegal drugs for a friend. That clash with the law, derailed his ambitions and got him a 10-year prison sentence. After serving nearly eight years in prison upon his release as a convicted felon, he stayed focused, working in job training programs and resumed his studies for the bar exam. His conviction meant he could no longer participate in elections, as a felon he could not vote. Scott persuaded then Gov. Robert McDonnell to restore his rights. Scott remained on track and was focused. 

In 2014, Scott passed the state bar on his first try after nearly a year of study. He was off and running, making a name for himself, winning cases and getting his name around the Portsmouth area. In the wave of Democratic wins in 2019, ambitious newcomer Donald Scott Jr. won election to the Virginia House of Delegates. Scott quickly teamed with Gov. Ralph Northam who championed gun control legislation, gay rights issues, justice restoration and abortion rights, according to reporting by The Washington Post, and several non-partisan election survey groups. 

Scott was first elected to the legislature in 2001 having become a successful personal injury lawyer. A skilled practitioner of decorum in the family and legislative halls, Scott has earned and been complimented across Southeastern Virginia for his volunteer work and civility. He has worked energetically on workforce development and is married to Mallanda Colson-Scott, a dentist in the Southeastern Virginia Tidewater area. They have a teen-age daughter.

As the election results were pouring in for hotly contested political contests from Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi, election observers and political media analysts knew this election was going to reflect the mood of voters since the Supreme Court’s stunning decision to reverse the controversial Roe vs. Wade case. The original ruling 50 years ago established a woman’s right to make her own choices about her health care and pregnancy. 

Republicans took on that issue from state to state without hesitation and met Virginians at the polls head on with a tough campaign declaring opposition to abortion for most reasons, regardless of a physician’s input. 

Indeed, the abortion rights issue overshadowed some other issues on the ballot in many states.

A skilled prosecutor of legislative and judicial decorum, Scott has learned since childhood while growing up with siblings about power sharing and delegating. Observers say that experience will serve him well as he manages the House with its hundreds of members and thousands of staff.   

In nearby Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear, the incumbent Democrat, won reelection despite his support for abortion rights. In Ohio, despite massive Republican spending on antiabortion candidates and issues, voters rallied to amend their state constitution to protect a women’s right on the abortion issue.  

Gun control was lost on the election radar this month as its prominent presence in many recent election contests was overshadowed by the abortion rights issue, political incivility justice in the court system and the economy. Scott appears set for battle on all these fronts as tough sailing lies ahead.

BlueCross Names Glenn Scruggs Director of Security and Safety

Local

Submitted Article

-

November 29, 2023

0

BlueCross Names Glenn Scruggs Director of Security and Safety

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has named Glenn Scruggs as the company’s director of safety and security, effective Nov. 13.
Scruggs comes to BlueCross following a nearly 30-year career with the Chattanooga Police Department. He retired from the force as executive chief of neighborhood policing and community services, a role he held since 2018.

“I’m very proud of the work our security and safety team does to protect not only our BlueCross properties, but more importantly, the employees who serve our members,” said Lisa Lay, VP of properties and corporate services for BlueCross. “I look forward to Glenn bringing his community-focused leadership experience to support that work.”

Scruggs earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Belhaven University and is a graduate of the Southeastern Conference Leadership Academy, the Chattanooga Police Department Cadet Academy, and the FBI National Academy.

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is a taxpaying, not-for-profit health plan serving more than 3.4 million members in Tennessee and around the country. The Chattanooga-based company was founded in 1945.

Tennessee HBCU Partnership Holds Historic Graduation Inside Prison

Submitted Article

-

November 29, 2023

0

Tennessee HBCU Partnership Holds Historic Graduation Inside Prison

Nationwide — On Thursday, November 2, 2023, six men incarcerated at the Northwest Correctional Complex (NWCX) marched across the stage to receive their Bachelor of Science in Business degree from Lane College. Their educational trajectory is a continuation of historical and momentous strides made by the Tennessee Higher Education Initiative (THEI) to help educate men and women behind the wall.

The graduates were the first to receive a bachelor’s degree in the facility’s history. To add to the list of firsts, the students were also the first in the state of Tennessee to receive degrees from a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) while incarcerated.

THEI along with educational partners Lane College and the Tennessee Department of Correction celebrated the fortitude and commitment of the six men who have shifted the course of history in the state of Tennessee, by forging a path for others to follow. Each student is a testament to the indomitable spirit of resilience our brothers behind the wall possess when given opportunities to excel and engage with the transformative and liberative power of education that was paved with sacrifice.

“They are coming home,” stated Dr. Laura Ferguson-Mimms, Executive Director of THEI. “We are breaking the cycle of recidivism that tells us that 47% will return to incarceration if we continue to do exactly what we have always done.”

Dr. Ferguson-Mimms continued, “When we introduce post-secondary educational options while the individual is incarcerated, we reduce the risk of recidivism by nearly half. I will always remember the first day of classes at NWCX. The lecture was supposed to be online, but the president came to speak to the students in person. He talked about the history of Lane College and the legacy of HBCUs as a tool for Black liberation. The students were absolutely mesmerized.”

Lane’s President Dr. Logan Hampton shared after the graduation ceremony, “Lane College and THEI have been a natural fit. Lane is deeply committed to the transformative liberal arts education, and Lane College has a history of helping students excel despite challenging environments and backgrounds. The Lane faculty were confident they could ensure the full integrity of college access for incarcerated students, and they have. The Lane/THEI partnership has been an overwhelming success!”

Senior Advisor Richard Donnell, Sr. to the President, shared, “Lane College has an academic focus on tomorrow, not yesterday, and helping students to realize the power of their potential has been a hallmark of Lane College since 1882. We continue to be excited about the partnership with THEI, and we are confident in Lane’s ability to help students of diverse backgrounds earn their college degrees.” Daryll Coleman, Vice President for Academic Affairs, added “The Lane College faculty have aggressively researched the best behind-the-wall academic programs in the nation and developed a rigorous program that maintains the full integrity of college access while preparing incarcerated students with a career-ready and transformative liberal arts education. Lane is grateful for our amazing faculty and their insistence that we develop a best-in-class program to reach incarcerated scholars.”

ULGC & Sankofa demand that ARPA funds be restored immediately & calls out open meeting violations in diversion of funds

Submitted Article

-

November 29, 2023

0

ULGC & Sankofa demand that ARPA funds be restored immediately & calls out open meeting violations in diversion of funds

Dear Mayor Wamp and Hamilton Board of Commissioners:

Sankofa Civic Engagement Organization (Sankofa) and the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga (ULGC) are writing to express our shared concern and disappointment with the recent actions of the Mayor and the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners relative to the passage of Hamilton County Resolution No. 1123-42 approved by your body on the 15th day of November 2023. This resolution prompted the reallocation of funds totaling close to $ 1 million from the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga and Sankofa, abruptly diverting them to the Hamilton County Fund for Excellence. The funds were originally awarded through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law on March 11, 2021. The unwarranted, unfair, and discriminatory action singled out both our organizations in a second attempt to defund us. As your body may recall, the first attempt to remove ULGC and Sankofa ARPA funds was on September 21, 2022, when Commissioner Beck presented County Resolution No. 922-21: a resolution to amend the previous resolutions awarding the ARPA funding to our respective organizations and reallocating $900,000 in funds from the SANKOFA FUND AND THE URBAN LEAGUE to the United Community Action Alliance for operating funds.

It was recorded in the meeting minutes that Commissioner Helton, the sponsor of this most recent resolution, stated, “This Resolution was presented very suddenly and could set a bad precedent to remove money a previous commission allocated.” He noted he would like time to look into this and have the parties affected have a say in this matter. On motion of Commissioner Helton, seconded by Commissioner Sharpe, Resolution No. 922-21 was tabled.

The County’s abrupt decision to reallocate funds was made with a lack of transparency and in contravention to both Tennessee Code Ann. 8-44-103 and 8-44-105. Furthermore, the actions taken by the board of commissioners failed to align with the County’s rules of procedure and practice. In the end, there was no public notice about the resolution and no opportunity to provide public comment at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. While we are aware that conversations were held with Hamilton County Schools personnel weeks before this resolution was passed regarding utilization of ULGC and Sankofa Org funding, no similar notice was provided to either of our respective organizations. Moreover, we are also aware that the County has nearly one hundred and fifty million in surplus funds that could have been used to both fulfill its previous commitment to fund our organizations and to support the schools. What’s even more troubling is that, to our knowledge, no other organizations receiving ARPA funds have been defunded to support school improvement efforts and strategically pitted against one another by elected officials. The schools are a great cause, but the manner in which this has transpired is unfair underhanded and reflects a blatant disregard for the communities we all serve, primarily communities of color and other disadvantaged persons.

Given your failure to follow Tennessee law and proper procedure, we are demanding that County Resolution No. 1123-42 be rescinded immediately – no later than Friday, December 1st – and that full funding be restored to ULGC and Sankofa.

For Sankofa, the mission of providing support, advocacy, and education to nonprofit organizations actively addressing the disparities affecting Hamilton County’s most vulnerable communities was abruptly disrupted as a result of these actions. The Sankofa Fund for Civic Engagement has worked to raise more than a million dollars and distribute it to Chattanooga’s African-American communities (including Brainerd and Howard High Schools) in the form of grants and services since our inception in 2017. Sankofa recently announced to stakeholders that their second grant cycle would open the last week of November, and the remaining $400,000 would be disbursed through two 2024 grant cycles. Still, we are left wondering how we will deliver on this commitment.

For over 40 years, our local Urban League affiliate has worked to enable African Americans, other ethnic minorities, and disadvantaged persons to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power, and civil rights to live a better quality of life. We have a great reputation for doing good work in the community, and there has been no question about the impact of our efforts. Serving between 12,000 – 14,000 people annually, our primary constituents come from high-poverty, urban, and rural areas where youth, young adults, seniors, and families struggle with economic hardships, building assets, low educational attainment, and other underlying issues. Our new Urban League location, acquired in July 2022, is the first Urban League headquarters that we have owned since our inception in 1982. The headquarters are designed to serve not only as a pillar of hope but also as a central hub to support families holistically through programs and initiatives that improve living conditions, access, opportunity, and economic prosperity for all that we serve. ARPA funding will position us to expand our program offerings, ensuring safe and adequate facilities, necessary technology, and longer-term sustainability to better serve our program participants and team.

We look forward to the Mayor and County’s response on how previously allocated ARPA funds will be fully restored to ULGC and Sankofa.

Respectfully,

The Leadership of the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga and Sankofa

UPDATE: During the November 29th Hamilton County Commission meeting, there were 4 or 5 persons who addressed the Commissioners about the rescinding of funds previously allocated to the Urban League and Sankofa.

Mayor Wamp didn’t specifically speak about, nor offer to return, the funds to the Urban League and Sankofa.

He did say in the Commission meeting that Howard’s new field could boost Chattanooga’s tourism dollars. And that visiting teams that require a turf field could use Howard’s field to practice on.

Interestingly, the use of funds to resurface a sports field will benefit a severely narrower population versus uses as intended by the original groups (ULGC and Sankofa) who wanted to serve the public at large.

Commissioner Sharp suggested that the Commissioners upgrade the turf on the fields of all the schools across the County, not just Howard and Brainerd, at a total cost of approximately $13 million. And fund this with money taken from the $150 million County “surplus” fund account.

(Hamilton County Commission Meeting-November 29, 2023)

Community Leader LaDarius Price Honored by State Rep. Yusuf Hakeem

Camm Ashford

-

November 29, 2023

0

Community Leader LaDarius Price Honored by State Rep. Yusuf Hakeem

District 28 state Representative Yusuf Hakeem (right) presented a proclamation to community leader LaDarius Price last Sunday, Nov. 26 at Pneuma Church, where Mr. Price serves as youth pastor. The proclamation recognizes his outstanding contributions to education, youth development, and public health. (CNC-Faye Stoudemire)

LaDarius Price, the Hamilton County deputy director for Community Development and dedicated community leader, received a state of Tennessee proclamation from District 28 Rep. Yusuf Hakeem last Sunday, Nov. 26. Price’s proclamation was presented at Pneuma Church, where he also serves as youth pastor.

The proclamation recognizes Price’s outstanding contributions, particularly his work in education, youth development and public health.

“Mr. Price epitomizes the spirit and commitment that are characteristic of a true Tennessean, and he should be specially recognized for his many contributions and devoted work,” Rep. Hakeem noted.

Price, a native of Chattanooga, has a long history of service to his community. He began his career as a preschool teacher in Nashville and later returned to Chattanooga to teach special education and coach basketball at his alma mater, Brainerd High School.

He has also served as Community Outreach Director for Cempa Community Care (formerly known as Chattanooga CARES), and is currently the president of Placing Emphasis Around Kids (PEAK), a nonprofit organization that provides mentorship and support to young people.

In addition to his work in education and youth development, Price has also been a vocal advocate for public health. He has led COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts in the African American community and has spoken throughout the country about the need to address health disparities.

The state of Tennessee proclamation honoring community leader LaDarius Price reads, “Throughout his many successes, LaDarius Price has enjoyed the love and support of his wife, Dominique Price, and their children, KaDarius, KynDall, Harper, Bailee, and Demi.” Additionally, Price thanked “God, my parents, my family, my church family and my community.”

Price’s dedication to his community has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the 2019 Times Free Press Best of Preps Award, the 2019 City of Chattanooga Park and Rec Award and the 2022 Chattanooga Black Excellence Chris Ramsey Humanitarian Award, among others.

“I want to say thank you,” Price said. “Thank you to God, my parents, my family, my church family and my community. I truly appreciate Rep. Hakeem and the state for checking my work and saying we recognize what you’re doing for your community. The work never stops, but I thank God for calling me to it.”

UTC Women’s Basketball Celebrates 50 Years of Excellence

Camm Ashford

-

November 27, 2023

0

UTC Women’s Basketball Celebrates 50 Years of Excellence

This year, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) celebrates a significant milestone: the 50th season of its women’s basketball program.

To commemorate this golden anniversary, a series of events will be held throughout the 2023-24 season, culminating in a grand celebration and reunion during the team’s February 3 matchup against Furman at McKenzie Arena.

The Lady Mocs–also known as the Mocettes and Lady Mocs in previous seasons–have a rich history of success, including three NCAA Tournament appearances and two Southern Conference Player of the Year awards.

The program was founded in 1972, the same year that Title IX was passed. Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. This law paved the way for the growth of women’s sports, including basketball.

One of the most notable players in UTC women’s basketball history is Alexandria Comet (Alex) Anderson. Anderson, from Stone Mountain, Ga., was drafted in the third round as the 39th overall pick by the San Antonio Silver Stars in the 2008 WNBA Draft. She was the first UTC player to be drafted by the WNBA and the first Southern Conference player to be drafted by the league.

Anderson was a two-time Southern Conference Player of the Year and led the Lady Mocs to three NCAA Tournament appearances. She is a member of the UTC Athletics Hall of Fame.

At press time, the UTC women’s basketball program is ranked No. 15 in the country.

Hiring Businesses Value Competence Over Higher Ed Degrees – Trades & Experience Preferred

Robin Smith

-

November 27, 2023

0

Hiring Businesses Value Competence Over Higher Ed Degrees – Trades & Experience Preferred

Tennessee has been on the leading edge of the renaissance of the trades and vocational training with certificate and apprentice programs beginning with partnerships in the Hamilton County Public Schools, the TN Colleges of Applied Technology, and Chattanooga State Community College in our area.

US employers, out of need, are catching up to Tennessee’s approach to offer certificate programs, associates degrees, trades and applied technology skills, in addition to the four-year degrees in universities to students seeking to find work, launch a career, and establish financial independence.

A monthly survey of nearly 70,000 American small businesses released its November 2023 issue of the Freedom Economy Index. The survey asked questions which included the economic outlook regarding their ability to navigate inflation, high interest rates, and wage pressures; the impact of federal policies and politics; and the quality of candidates for hiring coming from higher education versus those from trade or vocational training.

The survey section entitled Higher Education asked if “colleges and universities are graduating students with relevant skills that today’s business community needs.” A whopping 67% answered the question with “strongly no,” and 24.4% responded with “somewhat no.” Yes, that adds up to 91.4% who had less-than-favorable view of college degreed applicants.

The verbatims of the survey reflect the frustration of employers with job openings and candidates ill-equipped to work.

“The talent shortage will only get worse because high schools and colleges produce no talent,” said one business owner. Another commented, “Absolutely, not; what a waste, and I’m a college graduate.”

Getting more specific, the small business survey asked, “Are you more or less likely to consider a job seeker with a 4-year degree from a majority university or college?” Again, well over half of the respondents indicated the lack of preference for a degreed individual.

Only 10.2% would prefer a college degree from a major university or college in contrast to 20.1% who answered that they would be somewhat less inclined to hire a 4-year graduate. Those answering that they would be “strongly less likely” to hire a 4-year college graduate was 20.6% with 41.5% declaring it would make no difference.

Quick math shows that almost 41% had a bias against degreed applicants to meet their workforce needs and 41.5% had no preference when compared to others applying with trade experience or training.

Looking again at the verbatims to understand the needs of businesses versus the degrees being awarded after 4 years and millions of dollars spent, the reality of work is quite different from the academic setting. One respondent summed it up: “We would hire someone with hands-on experience over someone that read about it in a book.”

The fact that employers nationwide are now seeing the trend that was already recognized in the Volunteer State should give Tennesseans an appreciation that gainful employment is treated as a priority within our local and state governments. President Ronald Reagan summed up our state’s educational framework when thinking of personal empowerment: “The best anti-poverty program is a job.”

Hamilton County Public School Earns Notice of US News & World Report

Robin Smith

-

November 27, 2023

0

Hamilton County Public School Earns Notice of US News & World Report

A Hamilton County Public School with a 44% minority population, 51% of the total enrollment are female, has earned recognition by a national ranking published annually.

This HCPS school body features 69% of its students who are proficient or greater in math, and 66% proficient or greater in reading excelling in both the Hamilton County School District and throughout the entire state.

In the most recent USNews & World Report Best Rankings, the Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts was noted for student achievement in both the elementary and middle school grades in a nationwide assessment of almost 80,0000 schools across America.

The Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts (CSLA) was ranked as the #7 best Middle School in Tennessee and the #25 best Elementary School in the Volunteer State. The US News Report noted that the campus features the #1 Middle School in Hamilton County and the #4 Elementary School within the public school system.

The methodology for this assessment assigns a weighting of 50% for the percentage of students achieving proficiency or above in the state assessments for reading, language arts, and math. The other half of the weighting applies socioeconomic and demographic metrics reflecting diversity to maintain consistency and comparability across all grade levels.

The K-11 school, which will add the 12th grade in the coming year, recently moved from its campus at the intersection of Vance Road and East Brainerd Road in the original Elbert Long Elementary School to Jersey Pike in the Harrison Community.

The CSLA touts on its school website the philosophy of providing “the best education for the best is truly the best education for all,” along with a code of conduct for students, teachers, and parents: “I will respect myself and others. I will be responsible for my actions. I will treat people the way I want to be treated.” The US News & World Report rankings compared 528 middle schools and 923 elementary schools across Tennessee applying the proficiencies and socioeconomic/demographic weightings to yield the rankings in the public school report.