Research shows that teacher quality is the most important in-school factor for student success, making strong preparation and licensure expectations essential to Tennessee’s education goals. At the same time, the state faces growing challenges in recruiting and retaining teachers, prompting leaders to consider how licensure policies can reduce unnecessary barriers to the profession while ensuring every student has access to a well-prepared and highly effective teacher.
Teacher recruiting and retention issues are evidenced by a rise in the issuance of emergency credentials in Tennessee — either temporary teaching permits or exemptions for teaching outside an endorsement. In the 2024-25 school year, the data show that 7,396 teaching positions — about 9% — were either vacant or filled by a teacher on an emergency credential. This reality has prompted policymakers, educator preparation providers (EPPs), district leaders, and advocates to consider how Tennessee can remove barriers to licensure while preserving a high bar for teacher quality.
New Proposal for Demonstrating Content Knowledge
A change to the state’s professional assessments policy, proposed by the Tennessee State Board of Education (SBE) in May, is pending approval. This policy change will allow teacher candidates who didn’t pass the required assessment to demonstrate content knowledge through alternate opportunities. Those alternate means can include portfolio-based submissions, component-based assessments that test the candidate on smaller portions of content over time, or targeted remediation through learning modules. Historically, teacher candidates failing on the first attempt would have to pay to retake the licensure assessment until they obtain a passing score, placing a financial burden on teacher candidates.
Historical Changes to Licensure Assessments in Tennessee
This new policy proposal is part of a broader, long-term approach to licensure policy that seeks to balance teacher preparation quality with increased access to the teaching profession. In 2023, Tennessee removed the requirement that educators take certain specialty area content assessments if they already hold a degree with a major in that area. Also, as part of the Tennessee Literacy Success Act, educators seeking initial licensure, renewal, or advancement in areas such as elementary education, early childhood, English as a second language, and special education must complete an approved foundational literacy skills course or assessment to ensure competency in evidence-based reading instruction.
Beginning on July 1, 2026, teacher candidates completing an SBE-approved educator preparation program are no longer required to take a pedagogical assessment, such as edTPA. This policy follows an earlier change exempting job-embedded candidates from the edTPA assessment as part of their license preparation requirements given their classroom experience. EPPs and district leaders on the Educator Licensure Review Committee voiced concerns that requiring edTPA completion was a barrier to licensure and recommended eliminating the requirement for all teacher candidates. In its place, candidates must complete a state-approved clinical practice, during which supervisors must observe candidates at least four times using an approved observation tool.
What Teacher Preparation Research Suggests
The changes to content and pedagogical assessment requirements for licensure reflect an important policy principle: Readiness to teach can be demonstrated in more than one way. National organizations and researchers often emphasize the importance of multiple measures of teacher readiness, like evidence of candidate quality, clinical preparation, and program improvement. Licensure assessments are one method of providing useful information about a candidate’s content knowledge and readiness, but assessments alone may disproportionately screen out candidates of color, and retakes can be a cost barrier for candidates.
Maintaining High Expectations Through a Strong System
Allowing flexibility in obtaining licensure does not mean compromising expectations and accountability. Tennessee has important tools in place to measure teacher quality and provide ongoing professional feedback. The state’s teacher evaluation system has long been recognized as a national model that provides meaningful instructional feedback and strengthens student outcomes. Tennessee also publishes the Educator Preparation Report Card, which evaluates EPPs and tracks measures such as candidate growth, licensure assessment performance, and classroom effectiveness.
These tools matter because flexibility in licensure policy should be monitored over time. If Tennessee provides more flexible ways for candidates to demonstrate readiness, the state must continue to monitor whether those pathways are preparing teachers to help students succeed.
Every Tennessee student deserves an excellent teacher. As the state continues to refine licensure requirements and provide thoughtful flexibility to help more candidates enter the classroom, high expectations for student outcomes must remain the foundational goal of Tennessee’s teacher preparation systems and policies.
Amanda Glover is SCORE’s director of AI initiatives. Mary Kate Hillis is a SCORE graduate fellow.