The State of Education in Tennessee: Maintaining a Commitment to Rigorous Standards and Assessments
school. In raising academic expectations, Tennessee is
holding students to a nationally competitive standard.
The state must stay the course in the continued implementation of the Common Core State Standards.
2. Tennessee must continue its commitment to implementing the PARCC assessments to ensure that school
districts have high-quality assessments that can measure student learning with the Common Core State
Standards. Measuring student success with higher
standards not only shows whether the students are
meeting the new standards, but is also a precursor to
informing more effective instruction.
3. Citizens, particularly parents, need
to be fully informed about Tennessee’s
Common Core State Standards and the
aligned assessments through PARCC.
It will continue to be important to enlist the support of various partners,
including business, education, civic,
and faith-based leaders, to maintain
the state’s commitment to preparing our students for their future. As
students begin taking the PARCC
tests, proficiency levels may drop initially because the tests will be more
challenging. There needs to be clear
communication that a decline in proficiency rates is a
reflection of raised expectations to ensure all students
are prepared for college and career.
The state must stay the course
in the continued implementation
of the Common Core State
Standards.
Priorities for 2014
Tennessee’s success rests on the ability to compete in a global
economy. It is critical that we educate students in a way that
prepares them for the demands of the workforce both today
and in the future. Tennessee’s Common Core State Standards
are intended to ensure that instruction in classrooms across
the state is providing students with the real-world skills needed to succeed in higher education and the workforce. Along
with implementing higher standards in the classroom, families need to have access to accurate information about the
standards, including what they are, what they are not, and
how to support students at home. In addition, it is important to engage citizens within communities across the state
in conversations about the need to have high expectations
for all students. Tennessee’s commitment to high standards
ensures that we are putting our students on the pathway to
success – a pathway that demands rigor, critical thinking, and
strong aptitudes in reading, math, writing, and the sciences.
1. Tennessee must continue its commitment to hold
high expectations for all students through the Common Core State Standards. Tennessee is leading the nation in the work to raise academic standards, helping to
ensure all students are prepared for success after high
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4. As Tennessee moves forward in implementing more
rigorous standards, a solid foundation in literacy will
help student learning across all subjects. Recent results
on Tennessee state assessments show that student
progress in reading has not been strong. Tennessee’s
Common Core State Standards provide demanding
and rigorous expectations in reading and math. Tennessee must focus not only on implementing the standards themselves but also on proven, research-based
strategies that will increase literacy for all students,
including English-language learners. These strategies
include a focus on reading in grades K-3, additional
instructional time spent on reading in all grades, and
ensuring that educators are using the most effective
strategies in reading instruction. Even though an intentional focus on literacy is critical to student success,
leaders should be cautious to not lose the current focus
and momentum on increasing achievement in math
and science.
Priorities in Action: High Expectations for All Students
Across Tennessee, educators and families are raising academic expectations for all students. Tennesseans are focused on high
expectations for good reason – research shows that when teachers increase their expectations for student success, students
make academic gains.xii As Tipton County Grades 6-12 Supervisor, Peggy Murdock recently said, “We are competing in a global
economy. We are not simply competing against each other inside of a district or inside of a school. We have much larger concerns for our children to make sure that they are well prepared.” Below are examples from schools and districts across Tennessee
that are raising expectations and helping to establish Tennessee as a national leader in improving public education.
Accelerating and Graduating All Students. As director of Trousdale County Schools, Clint Satterfield’s mantra of “doing it, doing it right, and doing it right now” is transforming a small Middle Tennessee community. The district’s motto, Accelerate and
Graduate, is grounded in the philosophical statement that all teachers are expected to advance students academically each year
as demonstrated through value-added growth measures which ultimately leads all students to college and career readiness
upon graduation. The district leadership and its teachers share a common culture that sets high expectations for all students to
achieve at higher levels than may have been previously expected. Students, no ma tter their background, are required to take a
rigorous high school curriculum established through the Tennessee Diploma Project, ensuring that all students are prepared to
pursue any career they choose after high school graduation. Holding high expectations for all students has led Trousdale County
to have strong growth, particularly in Biology and Algebra.
At Maryville High School in East Tennessee, all students are expected to achieve at high levels. Maryville has an intentional,
data-driven approach to placing students in courses each year. Students at Maryville are challenged to take the most rigorous
classes available and are only allowed to adjust recommended classes after an administrative and staff review process. In addition, Maryville provides extensive assistance for special education students, including classroom supports so that special education students can take rigorous courses and graduate with a regular diploma alongside their classmates.
Engaging Families and Communities. At Mt. Carmel Elementary in Hawkins County, a focus on engaging parents and community members in conversations about Tennessee’s Common Core State Standards has contributed to significant gains in student
achievement. The school provides parents with a wide variety of activities that support higher standards, including academic
nights at the school to discuss expectations and parent volunteers to support instruction in the classroom. The school also sends
home specific tools, such as flashcards, for parents to use to help their children with assignments. Mt. Carmel hosts public events
and engages the local media to help leverage community partnerships and convey the importance of high standards. Mt. Carmel’s commitment to high expectations has helped its students achieve growth in math and reading that significantly out-paces
statewide progress.
Focusing on Literacy. At Norman Smith Elementary in Clarksville, Tennessee, everyone has a role in supporting the school’s
literacy efforts. Teachers at the school engage in intensive professional development focused on understanding standards, including the Common Core State Standards for literacy, and learning how to plan and assess appropriately. Students are provided
with opportunities that spark their interest in reading such as school-wide book clubs and weekly Family Reading Nights. Parents complete contracts of what they will do to support academic achievement at home, including reading with their children.
Norman Smith’s focus on strong reading instruction has supported significant growth across all subjects including reading.
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