years of lab science (including either chemistry or physics). These new
standards, assessments, and graduation requirements have created an
urgency among educators, parents, and students that bold action must
be taken to improve our schools.
Key education stakeholders throughout the state are prepared to take
such action. Governor Phil Bredesen is making education reform his
top priority, the 2010 gubernatorial candidates have placed public
education at the top of their agendas, and the state’s legislative leaders
have made it clear that education will be their top priority. Moreover,
top CEOs across Tennessee are supporting statewide education reform
efforts; higher education institutions are undertaking an initiative
to fundamentally rethink how they train teachers; and the groups
representing educators—including state school boards, superintendents,
principals, and teachers associations—all understand that significant
improvements must be made.
But how will we monitor our progress toward this goal? To measure
our progress, we must track metrics that are reliable over time and
comparable across states. Currently, there are six metrics that meet
both these criteria:
• NAEP fourth grade math and reading scores
• NAEP eighth grade math and reading scores
• The percent of high school graduates who scored a 21 or above on
the ACT
• High school graduation rates
• The percent of high school graduates enrolled in postsecondary
education, and
• The percent of high school graduates earning a degree within 150
percent of the appropriate time (three years for an associate’s degree
and six years for a bachelor’s degree).
SCORE will monitor these metrics over the coming years to
measure Tennessee’s progress and work with the Governor’s office,
State Board of Education, Tennessee Department of Education, and
Tennessee Higher Education Commission to ensure these metrics
are included in all statewide reports of educational progress.10
With the goal set, the question now is what must we do to achieve it?
How can