Summary
Howard Connect Academy is a small, single-grade middle school in Chattanooga, TN, serving just 94 eighth-grade students within Hamilton County Schools. Because it only serves 8th grade, the school's test results speak directly to how students are performing at the end of their middle school journey, but the picture is concerning: only 15.4% of students are proficient in math, 15.8% in science, and 15.4% in social studies—far below district and state averages in every subject. The school currently ranks in the 7th percentile statewide, placing it in the lower tier of an already low-performing cluster of nearby urban middle schools.
What makes these academic results especially striking is the level of investment. Howard spends $26,303 per student, the highest of all nearby middle schools and roughly $10,000 more per student than Hunter Middle School, which ranks in the 86th percentile with much higher proficiency rates. With a student-teacher ratio of about 9:1, students enjoy a well-resourced, small learning environment. Yet that investment has not translated into achievement, and the school's state ranking has fallen from the 17th percentile in 2020–2021 to the 7th percentile today—earning zero stars despite spending more than any peer school in the area.
There are some genuine bright spots worth acknowledging. Chronic absenteeism has dropped dramatically from 24.2% to 14.1%, now better than the district and state averages and among the best in the area. Special education students have shown meaningful improvement, rising to near the statewide median in 2024–2025. The school also has a history of strong Algebra I performance: in 2022–2023, 40% of students passed, well above district and state averages. However, outcomes for low-income, female, and African American students remain among the lowest in the state. With only 94 students, yearly swings can be volatile, but the consistent low performance across subjects suggests the challenges are real.
Thank you for your feedback!