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The Tennessee Department of Education last week released its annual comprehensive report card on pre-K through 12th grade education.

With results now in hand, the Blount Education Initiative urges parents to tune in to the potential needs of their child's school as indicated in the report card results.

"Report cards are a good opportunity for educators, parents and community members to look at what's working, what's not and how schools can re-evaluate a variety of factors in relationship to the new student standards," said Bonny Millard, executive director of the Blount Education Initiative (BEI). "Parents should work actively and in an informed way with their school's teachers and administrators to help schools gain improvements as well as to maintain strong performance gains already in progress."

Within the three school systems in Blount County:

Alcoa City Schools had all three schools meet the federal benchmarks and their status was listed as "Good Standing;"

Blount County Schools had 17 of 20 schools meet the federal benchmarks, and those 17 were listed as "Good Standing;"

Maryville City Schools had six of seven schools meet the federal benchmarks, and those six were listed as "Good Standing."

"It is important to understand that teachers cannot do all the work alone to make sure their students are academically proficient in math, reading and language arts," said Matt Murray, BEI president. "The responsibility for a student's performance also rests with the student himself or herself and with parents who exert tremendous influence over a child's attitude toward education and a desire to succeed."