Elevate the teaching profession in Tennessee to ensure that high-quality candidates pursue a career in education
and that Tennessee’s current teachers receive the support they need to improve student learning. Research indicates that teachers have a larger impact on student learning than any other in-school factor. For this
reason, it is important to ensure that high-quality candidates pursue careers in education and have access to effective preparation programs that give them the skills they need to effectively improve student
achievement. It is also important to elevate current teachers, providing them with the support, recognition, and voice they need to continually develop their instructional skills and improve student learning
in Tennessee.
1. Teacher Preparation: Implement a more rigorous teacher preparation program approval process
and improve the quality of teacher preparation programs to create a pipeline of teachers that
effectively meet the needs of Tennessee students. The first step in creating a more effective
cohort of Tennessee teachers is to recruit high-quality candidates to the profession and
improve the quality of Tennessee’s teacher preparation programs. It is important for the
State Board of Education and the Tennessee Department of Education to develop a more
rigorous teacher preparation program approval process that focuses on outcomes such
as teacher retention and teaching effectiveness, in addition to inputs such as selectivity
of candidates and rigorous curricula. While the Educator Preparation Policy laid the
foundation for improvements in teacher preparation, it is imperative to ensure that
this policy is implemented effectively and yields significant change in programs on
the ground. The Tennessee Association of Colleges for Teacher Education must support the State Board of Education and the Tennessee Department of Education to
ensure this program approval process is implemented effectively statewide and
yields positive outcomes in teacher preparation practices.
2.
PRIORITIES FOR 2015:
ELEVATE THE TEACHING
PROFESSION
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Support and Coaching: Ensure school leaders have the support they need to
provide teachers with high-quality feedback and support as a result of Tennessee’s teacher evaluation. While the teacher evaluation created opportunities for teachers and principals to have meaningful conversations about
instruction, it is important to ensure teachers are receiving the feedback
and support they need to improve their instructional practices. School
districts and CORE offices play a critical role in supporting school leaders
with professional learning opportunities that allow them to more deep-