Resources

High-Quality Public Charter Schools | Data Insights | Innovative Models

Tennessee Public Charter School Achievement and Growth

January 6, 2026

Since 2021, public charter schools have seen significant increases in student proficiency across both English language arts (ELA) and math. Learn more about achievement and growth in Tennessee public charter schools.

Instructional Coherence for Literacy: Knox County Study Shows Stronger Growth, Better Alignment, and Teacher Support

December 8, 2025

In 2022–23, SCORE saw early promising signs that aligning literacy intervention to Tier I instruction might accelerate learning more effectively than adding more time, materials, or staffing. Students in SCORE’s high-dosage tutoring network achieved stronger gains when tutoring was instructionally coherent with classroom instruction, especially among students performing in the lowest 10%. Building on this evidence, SCORE sought to further study the impact of instructional coherence, specifically for students who need the most support. To test the hypothesis that instructionally aligned intervention could be more impactful than the traditional RTI² approach, SCORE partnered with Knox County Schools (KCS) to embed a randomized control trial (RCT) into an early literacy pilot during the 2024–25 school year.

2026 State of Education in Tennessee: Moving Every Student Forward

December 3, 2025

Tennessee has never waited for change — we have led with purpose and vision. The 2026 State of Education report outlines the bold policies and actions that will move Tennessee’s shared vision for student success forward. Rooted in data and building on a strong student-centered foundation, it offers a roadmap for advancing outcomes from kindergarten to career.  

TN2030: A Data-Driven Vision for Tennessee Student Success

November 19, 2025

Are students prepared for careers that enable economic independence? Unfortunately, too few Tennessee students today are finding clear paths to opportunity and long-term success. Many leave school without the skills or credentials that open doors — not just to jobs but to careers that enable economic independence. To address this, in 2024 we launched TN2030, a new vision for Tennessee student success rooted in data-driven goals. These ambitious but attainable goals will help our state ensure more Tennesseans are on clear pathways toward opportunity. This report encapsulates those goals.

Data Insights | Innovative Models | K-12 Success

Integrating AI Into English Language Arts

October 28, 2025

Generative AI (GenAI) is advancing quickly, and Tennessee has an opportunity to lead the way in integrating it meaningfully into teaching and learning, starting with English language arts (ELA). Educators and students in Tennessee are already using AI to write, revise, research, brainstorm, and create, but clear guidance is needed to ensure that its use extends the reach of excellent instruction effectively and thoughtfully. Our memo examines how identifying the AI literacy skills and competencies that align with Tennessee’s ELA standards can help students build future-ready skills while supporting teachers with clear expectations and practical tools.

Innovative Models | K-12 Success

Connecting the Dots: The Environment’s Impact on Student Success

October 14, 2025

In 2024, SCORE launched the Connecting the Dots series to spotlight emerging issues beyond our core priorities that are increasingly impacting student success in Tennessee. This year’s symposium focused on how the changing environment — from extreme weather disruptions to the effect on current and future careers — is impacting students’ learning, physical and mental well-being, and long-term opportunities. This memo serves as a continuation of the day’s discussions and includes speaker insights, key data, and practical action to benefit students, our workforce, and the planet.

Education Finance | Postsecondary Success | Education-to-Career Pathways

Driving Workforce Opportunity Through the Outcomes-Based Funding Formula

October 10, 2025

For decades, Tennessee has been a national leader in higher education reform. Yet today, too many students are earning credentials that don’t connect to economic opportunity. This memo makes the case for aligning Tennessee’s outcomes-based formula to an urgent education priority: preparing students for high-wage, high-growth careers.

CTE Course Substitutions

September 25, 2025

This recording captures a presentation on Sept. 24, 2025, to the state's Joint Advisory Committee on Innovations in K-12 Education. SCORE Senior Director of Pathways Bryce Warden and SCORE Policy Analyst Jack Roberts Jue highlighted the important role that high expectations and career-technical education (CTE) together play in unlocking opportunity for students.

Data Insights | K-12 Success

The Future of State and Local Assessments in Tennessee

September 23, 2025

Assessments are essential for monitoring student learning and strengthening schools. The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) measures student progress toward Tennessee’s academic standards and has been central to improving proficiency and growth. The results empower families, educators, and policymakers to make data-driven decisions that support stronger outcomes for students. Over the past 15 years, Tennessee’s commitment to high-quality, standards-aligned annual assessments and transparent reporting has contributed to the state’s significant advancement in student achievement. 

Data Insights | Education Finance | K-12 Success

Series: Informing the Conversation

September 16, 2025

Informing the Conversation is a collection of resources offering data, research, insights, and ideas to inform discussions about Tennessee education in the context of federal shifts, offered with an eye toward the urgent need to continue improving student outcomes in our state. In a March 2025 executive order, President Donald Trump directed the U.S. Secretary of Education to “return education authority to the states, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.” As federal changes unfold, SCORE is committed to collaborating, informing, and offering perspective that we hope can steward change into opportunity for Tennessee students.

K-12 Success

Federal and State School Accountability in Tennessee

September 10, 2025

Potential changes in federal education policy could reshape how states approach accountability, making it critical to understand how Tennessee’s systems currently work. The state currently uses two accountability systems, each designed for different purposes that reflect different measures of progress. Part of our Informing the Conversation series, this memo provides an overview of how Tennessee’s accountability systems work, how they differ, and what each means for school improvement and transparency.

Data Insights | Postsecondary Success | K-12 Success

TN2030 Presentation to the State Board of Education

September 5, 2025

In August 2025, Courtney Bell, SCORE’s vice president of research and innovation, gave a presentation to the Tennessee State Board of Education on TN2030 — a statewide vision that sets bold goals for student success, from early literacy to postsecondary readiness — and emphasized the need for a shared commitment to help all students thrive.Watch a recording of the presentation below and view the associated slide deck.