Group 2
Community
Assessment Project
Rutherford County
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Brought to you courtesy of
Tara Boling ,Patsi Flatt,
Rachel Gallaher, Ashley
Hazelwood, Emily Lawman,
Nelson Mulligan, Tracey
Pavelchik, Lauren Pilkinton,
Lacresha Seals, Carrie
Toombs, and Chassie
Turnbow
Total Population:
228,829 and growing!
Rutherford County
Education
Rutherford County Schools
Assessment
Schools
42
Grades Served
PK-12
Students
35,271
Teachers
2,244
Education
Rutherford County Schools
•For grades 3-8 Rutherford County Schools earned perfect marks for
achievement with all A’s in math, language arts, social studies and
science.
•RCS earned all A’s for fifth- and eighth-grade writing scores
•99.6% of core courses are taught by highly qualified teachers
•RCS is exceeding state goals for both grade promotion and
attendance
•Above or meeting scores for all Gateway and end-of-course exams
with the exception of Algebra I.
•Value-Added scores for the ACT are above state average in every
category
•Total graduation rate of 88%, which is above the state
required improvement track goal.
Education
Rutherford County Schools
Areas for Improvement
State’s graduation percentage
benchmark is 90%. RCS’s is 88%.
School receiving a grade of “B” in
science and social studies.
Math high school ACT averages of
19.9 could be improved.
83,992 suspensions and 1,972
expulsions over the previous school
year.
Education
Murfreesboro City Schools
Assessment
• 10 schools in the system
• TDOE Report Card Academic Achievement Grades: A’s in Math,
Reading/language, and Writing
• 7,200 kids serving grades P-6
• Over 68% of the licensed employees have Master’s degrees or higher
• Ratio of staff to students is 1:14
• Special Ed is available in all schools
• Terra Nova Assessment Test: the grade average at all levels exceeded
the national norm; however some schools placed on “target status” to
improve scores
• Some schools failed to reach adequate yearly progress and assigned
“High Priority School Improvement I” status with the No child left
behind results
Education
Higher Education
Assessment
• 86% of Adult Population with High School Diploma or Higher
(compared to a 84.1% national average)
• 24.3% of Adult Population with Associates Degree or Higher
(compared to a 34.4% national average)
• 18.4% of Adult Population with Bachelors Degree or Higher
(compared to a 27.0% national average)
Post-secondary Institutions in Rutherford County
MTSU (Public, 4-year)
24,979 (97.4%)
Private/For Profit (1 Institution)
412 (1.6%)
TTC-Murfreesboro
267 (1.0%)
Education
Higher Education
TN Public Institutions Enrolling Largest Number of
Rutherford County Residents
•Middle Tennessee State University (4‐yr) – 4,843 Rutherford
county resident students
•Motlow (2‐yr)- 1,008 RCR students
•UT, Knoxville (4‐yr)- 461 RCR students
•Tennessee Tech (4‐yr)- 241 RCR students
•All Other Public Institutions- 1,159 RCR students
•Total Rutherford county resident students – 8,231
Education
Higher Education
•State financial aid programs
consist of the HOPE lottery
scholarship and TN student
assistance award
•65.3% of eligible Rutherford
county students were awarded
the HOPE scholarship in
2007.
•21.1% of eligible students
were awarded the TN student
assistance award in
Rutherford County.
Education
Rutherford County
Industry
Assessment
History
In 2005, Rutherford County led the nation in job growth,
with an estimated 120,718 full-time and part-time jobs.
Since 2000, employment has increased 19.4% in the county,
compared to 5.7% in Tennessee.
Rutherford County has had an increase in population by 47%
from 1997 to 2007. According to the TN Department of
Labor and Workforce, Rutherford County’s continuing and
steady economic growth for more than a decade has made
RC one of the best economic climates in the nation.
Industry
Jobs
The unemployment rate, however, has risen this year in
Rutherford County, from 4.2% in January, to 6.4% in
September.
This has also increased from last year, in which the
unemployment rate was 3.8% in August.
The industries with the highest percentage of jobs include
nondurable manufacturing, retail trade, health services and
educational services, respectively.
The industries with the lowest percentage of jobs include
mining, agriculture forest and fish, and entertainment and
recreation services, respectively.
Industry
Jobs
The most common occupations in
Rutherford County include
administrative and clerical positions,
sales, production craft and repair,
and professional specialty.
The largest employers in Rutherford
County are Nissan, Rutherford
County government, MTSU,
Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., Ingram
Book Company, State Farm, VA
Medical Center, Asurion, MTMC and
Verizon Phone, respectively.
Industry
Income
•The annual median family income in Rutherford County for 2005 was
$60,900.
•The annual per capita income in Rutherford County for 2006 was
$30,519.
•The average annual wage for 2007 in Rutherford County was $39,873.
•The average receptionist in Rutherford County averages an income of
$26,702 per year.
•The average human resource manager in Rutherford County averages
$64, 011 per year.
•The average weekly rate of the employed in Rutherford County is $838.
•In the first quarterly census of 2008, the TN Dept of Labor and
Workforce found that management of companies and enterprises earn
the most weekly, at $1,192, and that accommodation and food services
make the least, at $237 per week
Industry
Unemployment & the Future
In September 2008, Rutherford County had an unemployment
rate of 6.4%, with a total of 121,910 people employed and
8,380 people unemployed. This is lower than the entire state’s
numbers, at 6.9%, but higher than the nation, at 6%.
The 2004 total estimated number of employed people in
Tennessee was 2,901,010. The projected number of employed
in Tennessee for 2014 is 3,362,460.
(No data available for Rutherford County)
Industry
Rutherford County
Religion & Spirituality
Assessment
Religion & Spirituality
Assessment
•Total congregations in Rutherford
County: 192
•The affiliations with the most
congregations:
•Conventional Southern Baptist (53)
•Church of Christ (52)
•United Methodist Church (26)
• Presbyterian (9)
•On average 60,000-80,000 residents of
Rutherford county attend church at least
once weekly
•Churches throughout the county have
congregations with 200-3000 members
Religion & Spirituality
Rutherford County
Recreation
Assessment
Community & Sport Centers
•Patterson Community Center (also has
a nursery school and food bank)
• StarPlex
• Sportscom
•Baseball, Softball, fitness,
playgrounds, racquetball, aquatics,
tennis, volleyball, basketball, and
numerous facilities and programs
• Seigel Soccer Park: 15 fields, youth and
adult leagues
• 9 Community Parks
• 9 Community Playgrounds
Recreation
Assessment
Walking and Biking Trails:
•Barfield Crescent Park: outdoor
awareness, camping, picnic
areas, canoe access, fishing
•Stones River Greenway
•Old Fort
•Cannonsburgh
•Spring Wetlands Wilderness
Station
Recreation
Assessment
Other Recreational Activities in
Rutherford County
• Tn Miller Coliseum - equestrian events, county riding trails
20miles
• Golf Clubs/Greenways: 7
• Movie Theaters: 3
• Bookstores : 2
• Bowling Alleys: 3
• PUBLIC LIBRARIES – 5 + bookmobile
• Archery trail
• Holmstead Aviation
• 4 Corners Marina
Recreation
Tourist Attractions
Stones River National Battlefield
Stones River National Battlefield is a 650-acre
national park and cemetery dedicated to preserving
the memory of those who fought and died in this
crucial Civil War battle. Living history
demonstrations are presented on the weekends
during the summer months with a special
encampment featured in July.
Oaklands Historic House Museum
Oaklands was the home of the Maney family.
During the Civil War, the Maneys were hosts to both
Union and Confederate Armies. The home was the
site of Forrest's Raid and a visit from Confederate
President Jefferson Davis in 1862.
Recreation
Sam Davis Home & Museum
Sam Davis was a young Confederate Civil War soldier
who, while acting as a courier, was tried and executed at
the age of 21 for refusing to reveal the source of
important information he was carrying. A tour includes
a documentary video about the life of Sam Davis and a
tour through the nine-room main house, original
kitchen, smokehouse, overseer's office and privy.
Authentic Middle Tennessee slave dwellings can be seen
on the site.
Cannonsburgh
Cannonsburgh, the original name of Murfreesboro, is a
reconstructed Southern village. The village serves as a
living history museum of early Southern life.
Cannonsburgh Village includes a Gristmill, One-room
schoolhouse, Town hall, Log home, Little white country
church, Large collection of antique farm equipment,
General store, Museum, and Blacksmith's shop.
Recreation
Rutherford County Courthouse
Located on the Murfreesboro Downtown
Square, the Rutherford County
Courthouseis one of only six remaining
Tennessee courthouses built before the
Civil War.
Main Street
Murfreesboro is a participant in the
National Main Street program for historic
preservation and economic development.
Specialty shops, restaurants and offices.
Recreation
The Tennessee Miller Coliseum
This deluxe arena is used for local,
state, regional, national and
international horse show events.
The Murfreesboro / Rutherford
County Center for the Arts
Dedicated to providing a variety of
opportunities to experience visual and
performing arts.
Recreation
Nissan North America, Inc., Tours
Manufacturing plant in Smyrna where five
Nissan brand cars and trucks roll off the
lines (Maxima, Frontier Truck, Altima,
Pathfinder SUV, and Xterra compact
SUV).
Geographic Center of Tennessee
In 1834, it was determined that the
geographic center of Tennessee is located
on Old Lascassas Pike, one mile from the
Middle Tennessee State University
campus. The Rutherford County
Historical Society marked the spot with an
obelisk in 1976.
Recreation
Tennessee Livestock Center
The Tennessee Livestock Center was
built in 1988 on the campus of
Middle Tennessee State University.
Bradley Academy
Bradley Academy was built in 1917 as
a school for African Americans. A
school by that name has been in
Murfreesboro and on that site since
1811.
Recreation
Rutherford County
Nursing Diagnoses
Education
Readiness for Enhanced Community Coping
among citizens of Rutherford County related to
Education as demonstrated by improvements made in
Rutherford County education report card and
benchmark achievements.
Planning:
• Focusing more on math, science, and social studies. We
have made great strides in reading but need to improve
other areas.
•Lower the incidence of crime and gang related activity in
the schools
•Raise the graduation rate >90%
Nursing Diagnoses
Education
Implementation:
•Seeking high degreed educators such as masters prepared
teachers- especially in the areas of math, science, and social
studies.
•Implementing more School Resource Officers to monitor
crime and gang activity.
•Initiating more peer programs educating youth about
gangs, drugs, and crime prevention.
•Initiate graduation incentives (money) to all graduating
seniors for colleges and secondary tech programs to
improve graduation rates.
Nursing Diagnoses
Education
Evaluation
•Evaluation probably could not be assessed
for 6 months to 1 year after implementation.
•Evaluate whether crime rates and
suspensions have reduced.
•Evaluate the next class’s graduation rate
(goal >90%).
•Evaluate standardized test scores for math,
reading, and social studies.
•Evaluate whether or not more master’s
prepared teachers have been hired and have
stayed in the school system.
Nursing Diagnoses
Other Nursing Diagnoses
•Knowledge Deficit related to unemployment as
evidenced by increasing unemployment levels throughout the
year 2008.
•Fear
•Spiritual Distress related to unclaimed religious or
spiritual convictions as evidenced by the fact that statistics
show that more people attend church than claim a
congregation or denomination.
•Health-seeking behaviors (increased exercise,
enhanced social interaction, enhanced parenting skills, and
use of relaxation techniques) related to recreational facilities
as evidenced by abundant greenways, exercise facilities,
health clubs, libraries, playgrounds and tourist attractions.
Nursing Diagnoses
References
•City-Data.com, Rutherford County Tennessee (2005-2008). Accessed November 24, 2008, at
http://thecreports.state.tn.us/CountyPDF/Rutherford.pdf
•Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Parks and Recreation (2008). Accessed November 28, 2008, at
http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/PDF_files/dept/Parks_rec_connect.pdf
•NANDA Nursing Diagnosis List. (1996). Accessed November 28, 2008, at
http://www.efn.org/~nurses/nanda.html
•Sellers, S.C. (1998). Spiritual nursing interventions. Journal of holistic nursing (16) (3), p. 338354.
•Tennessee Department of Education, “Report Card.” (2007). Accessed November 21, 2008, at
http://edu.reportcard.state.tn.us/pls/apex/f?p =222:1:3834920249187099::NO.
•Tennessee Higher Education Commission – Rutherford County (2007-2008). Accessed
November 26, 2008, at http://www.city-data.com/county/Rutherford_County-TN.html
•The Association of Religion Data Archives – Rutherford County, Tennessee (2000). Accessed
November 16, 2008, at http://www.thearda.com/ mapsReports/reports/counties/47149_2000
.asp
•U.S. Census Bureau State and County Census Facts – Rutherford County, Tennessee. (2006).
Accessed November 26, 2008, at http://quickfacts
.census.gov/qfd/states/47/47149.html
References