The Lee administration and the Tennessee General Assembly recognized the value of assessment results and the need for flexibility during the January special session. The US Department of Education (USED) did the same in February. These were good, sensible decisions that will help advance student success.
New laws passed during a special legislative session will enable Tennessee to take on some of the biggest challenges facing K-12 education — among them, literacy and learning loss.
High expectations, a statewide assessment to measure student learning, and accountability for serving all students well are foundational to the way Tennessee has approached improving student achievement and outcomes. There is widespread agreement that these three things are good for students because they support success in school, college, and life. Over the past seven days,…
August traditionally has been a month where routine reasserted itself with students and teachers heading back to school. But in this year that is unlike any other, a routine approach to going back to school will not serve our K-12 students and their families well.
As an optimist, I believe that a great and equitable education is one of the best ways to eradicate racial inequities and tackle racial injustice. But looking at student data in detail, it becomes clear that the gains that lifted Tennessee to among the fastest-improving states have not lifted all of our children.