Annually, Tennessee teachers and administrators share their experiences through the Tennessee Educator Survey, and we — advocates, policymakers, and education leaders — have the opportunity to learn from them.
Administered by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) and the Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA) at Vanderbilt University, the 2025 survey engaged approximately 43,000 educators representing 50% of the state’s teachers and administrators across 121 school districts and over 1,000 schools. These responses, grounded in teachers’ classroom experiences, offer valuable perspectives into how our educators teach, lead, and support students and schools.
Drawing on TDOE and TERA’s analysis, we highlight five key areas that deserve close attention: teacher evaluation, career and technical education (CTE), artificial intelligence (AI), math, and the educator labor market. These insights reveal both strengths in our education system and opportunities for improvement, informing continued advocacy efforts and ensuring every student receives a high-quality education that prepares them for success in school, career, and life.
Teacher evaluation: 85% of teachers believe that Tennessee’s teacher evaluation system helps them identify areas for improvement, with 82% agreeing the system has directly enhanced their teaching practices.
Teachers’ overwhelming support for the existing evaluation system underscores its integral place among the state’s professional development offerings as a critical coaching tool. Educators also expressed what they believe would make evaluation even stronger: shorter, more frequent observations, incorporating student survey data, and additional training for evaluators. Built to drive instructional feedback and improve student achievement, there are opportunities to advance Tennessee’s evaluation system so that it continues to enable meaningful professional development between teachers and school leaders.
Career and technical education (CTE): 85% of CTE teachers agree or strongly agree that existing pathways prepare students for college and careers. Additionally, 84% of CTE teachers agree that students have access to clear pathways to high-wage, high-skill, in-demand careers.
This confidence matters — but the state’s economy tells us there is still work to do. In a 2023 survey, 70% of business leaders reported they could not find enough appropriately trained workers to meet their companies’ needs. In addition, 63% of jobs will soon require a postsecondary degree or credential, but only 48.8% of Tennesseans currently hold one. While these trends are concerning, work-based learning (WBL) enrollment rates indicate that 82% of students who participate choose a CTE concentration, showcasing the rising tide of student interest in these critical career development pathways. Tennessee now has a clear opportunity to expand and strengthen CTE and other WBL offerings so that every student graduates prepared for the jobs our economy demands.
Artificial intelligence (AI): 40% of teachers and 60% of administrators report using AI in their roles, with new teachers and high school teachers reporting the most AI use.
Generative AI has quickly unlocked a world of possibilities, with educators and students among the most active and enthusiastic adopters of AI across various fields. Survey responses indicate 43% of teachers are incorporating AI tools into their teaching practice for generating assignments, quizzes, and assessments; adjusting content to support differentiated learning; and creating lesson plans. Yet only 35% report receiving professional development on its acceptable uses and applications. That gap matters, for without clear training and guidance, educators are left to navigate one of the most significant technological shifts in decades on their own. By providing resources and guardrails that support the exploration and learning of AI,Tennessee can take charge of this new frontier and build a bridge to stronger teaching and learning.
Math: 74% of Tennessee math teachers believe they can deliver high-quality lessons by using their curriculum as designed.
High-quality math instruction prepares young learners with critical thinking and problem-solving skills vital for all students. These math skills not only set students up for success in postsecondary education but also open doors to many high-wage, in-demand careers. During the 2023-24 school year, Tennessee updated math standards and adopted new standards-aligned instructional materials to better support student learning. The state’s increasing math proficiency rates on TCAP and NAEP, along with educator confidence in the math curriculum, demonstrate Tennessee’s commitment to advancing math outcomes. Although math proficiency trends are improving, some challenges remain: Nearly 45% of teachers doubt whether their instructional materials fully align with their school’s RTI2 framework. Addressing concerns such as these through improved instructional coherence and research-backed interventions like high-dosage, low-ratio tutoring is essential if Tennessee wants to turn promising trends into lasting gains for all students.
Educator labor market: Over 80% of early-career educators believe their educator preparation program’s (EPP) coursework and clinical experiences prepared them for their current roles.
Tennessee’s early-career educators overwhelmingly believe in the efficacy of their EPPs, and high-quality educator preparation is key to improving student and teacher outcomes. Still, a broader picture of staffing and preparation raises concerns. Teacher vacancies are rising, fewer individuals are entering the profession, and more emergency credentials are being issued (indicating challenges in staffing open positions with licensed teachers). The data necessitate a comprehensive examination of Tennessee’s educator labor market to ensure every student has access to a reliable, effective, and diverse educator workforce. Innovative strategies — such as strategic staffing — to recruit, coach, and retain effective educators have been shown to advance student outcomes and improve teachers’ instructional practices. Tennessee should leverage these efforts to strengthen the teaching profession.
Tennessee’s path forward is stronger when we take educators’ experiences into account. Survey responses highlight the positive impact of Tennessee’s teacher evaluation system, the benefits of high-quality instructional materials in math, the importance of robust CTE instruction, the opportunity of AI, and the value of meaningful teacher preparation in creating a strong teaching workforce. Across topics, the survey surfaces both progress and unfinished work, pointing toward opportunities for advancement and improvement. By building upon strengths and addressing barriers, with the voices of our educators as our guide, we can open more doors for students to pursue futures that lead to success in school, career, and life.
To learn more about SCORE’s recommendations related to these topics, visit our resources page: https://tnscore.org/resources.