Cash Coming to Northridge Middle School Students & Teachers for PSAT Improvement

Significantly higher test scores for eighth graders at Northridge Middle School will do more than improve outcomes for the students involved - the progress means cash bonuses for dozens of teachers and 120 kids.

NMS, a Tuscaloosa City School, will be designated an A+ School of Excellence by A+ College Ready, which recognizes middle schools for their PSAT scores and high schools for qualifying scores on AP tests.

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Exceeding Expectations

Before this year's testing season, NMS set a goal of improving PSAT scores by an average of 60 points as part of the A+ College Ready Middle School Training and Incentive Program, or MSTIP.

Eighth-graders at NMS then exceeded those lofty benchmarks, improving scores by 70 points on average.

“This is a proud moment for our school,” said Dr. Jami Rainey, principal of Northridge Middle. “Being named an A+ School of Excellence reflects the hard work of our students and teachers, and the strong support we’ve received from our community.”

Cash Rewards

NMS will be recognized at an A+ College Ready event in June, but a TCS spokesperson said the academic improvement will also mean cash in hand for students and faculty at the middle school.

More than 30 teachers who participated in the MSTIP program and signed letters of agreement will receive $500 bonuses for the test score improvement.

TCS also said about 120 eighth-graders will receive $50 gift cards this fall for meeting academic growth goals, achieving high benchmarks in math or reading scores, or both.

“This designation is more than a title—it represents a culture of achievement and a commitment to excellence,” Dr. Rainey said. “We expect these gains will also be reflected in our upcoming ACAP scores and continue to move our school forward.”

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