In addition to leadership roles in schools or districts,
Teachers who participated in SCORE’s 2015 Listening
teacher leadership models can create opportunities
Tour reported taking on a variety of leadership roles,
for teachers to take on leadership roles in the
including serving as mentors or instructional coaches,
policymaking process. Policy leadership focuses on
attending state trainings and sharing the information
extending the impact of teacher leaders beyond their
at their school, and developing assessments.
individual classrooms and schools. These roles create
However, some teachers felt that their school or
networks of teacher leaders and professional learning
district did not offer enough leadership opportunities
communities in order to influence policymaking at
or that the same few teachers were selected for
district, state, and national levels. In June 2015,
leadership roles.34
Governor Haslam announced the first Governor’s
Teacher Cabinet. This group of 18 Tennessee teachers
Providing teachers with opportunities to take on
meets quarterly with Governor Haslam and Education
leadership roles in their school can improve motivation
Commissioner McQueen to share real-time information
and retention.35 As Tennessee and Tennessee’s local
from the classroom and provide feedback on how
school districts work to recruit and retain high-quality
policies are implemented in schools across the state.
teachers, it is important to expand opportunities
The members of the Teacher Cabinet serve two-year
for teachers to serve as leaders without leaving the
terms.32 The Teacher Cabinet has provided actionable
classroom.
feedback on the recommendations provided by
the Tennessee Task Force on Student Testing and
School and District Leadership. Tennessee’s
Assessment and on communication related to teacher
Learning Centered Leadership Policy, initially adopted
liability insurance, the standards review process, and
in 2008, lays the foundation for high-quality school
next steps to follow the Educator Survey.
leadership across the state. The policy includes
requirements for principal preparation and licensure
Teacher fellowships are another avenue for teacher
and lays out the Tennessee Instructional Leadership
leadership in Tennessee. The SCORE Tennessee
Standards (TILS).36 The following sections describe
Educator Fellowship brings together a diverse group
recent policy changes and other new developments
of teachers from across the state to learn about,
in school and district leadership in Tennessee.
reflect upon, and inform the policies, practices,
and systems that affect student achievement
Principal Preparation. Researchers and practitioners
and educator effectiveness. In the 2015-16 school
have long criticized principal preparation programs
year, there are 26 Tennessee Educator Fellows.
for being out of touch with the needs of today’s
Fellows learn the skills necessary to advocate for
administrators.37 Several principals who participated
and participate in public policy discussions around
in SCORE’s 2015 Listening Tour felt this way about the
advancing student learning. They receive trainings
principal preparation programs they attended, noting
on communications and advocacy and briefings on
that their preparation programs never addressed
policies and best practices. SCORE then works to
critical aspects of their jobs.38
connect fellows with opportunities to share their
voice.
To address this issue, Tennessee’s Learning Centered
Leadership Policy provides a framework for high-
The Hope Street Group, America Achieves, Student
quality principal preparation. The policy requires
Achievement Partners, and Collaborative for Student
preparation programs to form partnerships with
Success also provide teacher leadership opportunities
local school districts, maintain rigorous admission
for Tennessee educators. Similar to SCORE’s
standards, rely on research-based curricula, and
Tennessee Educator Fellowship, many of these
provide meaningful field experiences for all principal
groups aim to amplify teacher voice by providing a
candidates.39 However, the policy does not require
diverse group of Tennessee public school teachers
any follow-up or monitoring of implementation, so the
with skills in peer and community engagement and
extent to which preparation programs are actually
communication strategies.
implementing these measures is unclear.
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