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A state audit of Roane County schools says the school system has a large number of shortcomings that prevents students from mastering class work.
Geary Elementary-Middle School is on the state's list requesting the school principal be removed, but Roane Superintendent Steve Goffreda says principal Brenda Chadwell will stay on.
Kenna Seal, director of the state Office of Education Performance Audits, said Roane County teachers rely too much on textbooks, and aren't blending enough "21st Century learning."
The Roane County Board of Education has been given the results of the latest audit.
State school board member Lowell Johnson was particularly critical, arguing that teachers at several Roane County schools aren't following state board policy or teaching the right curriculum.
Johnson asked what Roane school officials are doing to address the achievement of students from low-income families who attend Geary Elementary-Middle School.
A team will be sent to Roane County this fall to help make corrections related to organizational effectiveness and leadership.
Seal has advised the school system that Spencer Middle School is in the most trouble, saying a lot of problems need addressed.
The audit says teachers are not meeting nor communicating well enough with parents and not spending enough time reviewing test data to see where students need to make improvements.
The audit says at Roane County High School, teachers do not always teach from "bell to bell."
"We accept everything in this report," said Roane County Superintendent Steve Goffreda.
Goffreda said Roane county has had "great difficulty" with the state's change to the WesTest 2, a standardized test that emphasizes more critical thinking, technology and an understanding of global issues.
Goffreda said teachers in Roane County have received training to teach the new higher-level skills.
"They've received it, but whether it's sunk in yet is questionable," he said.
Goffreda said Roane County has gone without an excess levy since the 1940s.
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