2026 State of Education in Tennessee: Moving Every Student Forward
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Postsecondary Success | Innovative Models | Education-to-Career Pathways
Work-Based Learning Participation and Success
May 12, 2025
This first memo in our Building Pathways to Success series explores the current status of work-based learning (WBL) in Tennessee. This foundational knowledge shows us the strength of defining what constitutes a WBL experience but also highlights where Tennessee is falling short in assessing the impact of these experiences on future learning and future career pursuits.
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Teachers & Leaders | Innovative Models | K-12 Success
Lead in Literacy Case Study: Aligning Teacher Candidate Preparation and Mentor Support Experiences
May 12, 2025
To support strong early literacy educator preparation in our state, Tennessee Technological University (TN Tech) and the Putnam County School System (PCSS) have partnered through the Lead in Literacy network to strengthen TN Tech’s educator preparation program (EPP). This EPP-district partnership is constructing a shared vision for literacy instruction and revising undergraduate literacy coursework methods to bolster skills around the science of reading and high-quality instructional materials (HQIM). This case study outlines their work to date.
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Teachers & Leaders | Innovative Models | K-12 Success
Piloting Instructionally Coherent Literacy Intervention in Knox County Schools
May 7, 2025
Four elementary schools in Knox County tested a literacy intervention approach that brings better instructional coherence to students by using the same high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) that are used in the student’s main classroom, rather than introducing new materials that may follow a different scope and sequence of learning. In a previous report from SCORE, this approach showed promising results when compared with students receiving support in settings that used different materials.
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High-Quality Public Charter Schools | Data Insights | Postsecondary Success | Innovative Models | K-12 Success
Tennessee Public Charter Schools Are Preparing Students For Postsecondary Education
April 3, 2025
In Tennessee, many public charter schools build a strong postsecondary culture to support students to strive for success in college, career, and life.
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High-Quality Public Charter Schools | Data Insights | Innovative Models
Tennessee Public Charter School Students See Strong Growth
April 2, 2025
You may have heard claims suggesting that charter schools target enrollment efforts at high-achieving students, a practice commonly referred to as “cherry picking” or “skimming.” When it comes to Tennessee public charter schools, it’s important to understand the opposite is true.
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High-Quality Public Charter Schools | Data Insights | Innovative Models | K-12 Success
National Study Highlights Student Growth in Tennessee Public Charter Schools
April 2, 2025
According to a 2023 national study by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO), public charter school students experience more average growth in math and English language arts than their counterparts in noncharter schools. In Tennessee, this growth equals an additional month and a half of learning for public charter school students.
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High-Quality Public Charter Schools | Innovative Models
High Expectations and High Accountability: Tennessee’s Charter School Sector
April 2, 2025
Across the country, 45 states and the District of Columbia have public charter schools. However, not all charter sectors are created equal. Unlike many other states, Tennessee’s public charter school policies are defined by rigorous standards and high accountability.
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Data Insights | Postsecondary Success | Education-to-Career Pathways
SCORE Institute: Unlocking Opportunity With Nondegree Credentials
March 18, 2025
Tennesseans are increasingly pursuing nondegree credentials to develop skills that can expand their career options and increase their earnings potential. But do we have a clear understanding of the various nondegree opportunities, the data behind the benefit they offer, and the best way to communicate their value to potential credential earners? This SCORE Institute on March 18, 2025, brought together national and state experts to discuss the increasing opportunity that nondegree credentials offer to prepare Tennesseans for high-demand, high-wage jobs.
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Postsecondary Success | Innovative Models | Education-to-Career Pathways
Understanding the Impact of Nondegree Credentials in Tennessee
March 18, 2025
Nondegree credentials are becoming increasingly popular among students and workers who want to sharpen their skills, while employers see them as an opportunity for talent development. In fact, nondegree options provided by postsecondary institutions are growing rapidly, and those provided by nonacademic providers, like employers, already represent over 60% of the credentials offered across the full landscape of options.
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Data Insights | K-12 Success
House/Senate Education Committee Presentations
February 21, 2025
In February 2025, SCORE leaders Aleah Guthrie, vice president of policy and government relations, and Alexis Parker, director of data, presented data to the Tennessee General Assembly in support of foundational education policy reforms. During their time with both the Senate and House education committees, SCORE celebrated student progress, shared how Tennessee’s education reform history has enabled our state to improve, and advocated for continued commitment to these foundational reforms. Specifically, we shared data analysis on Tennessee's recent scores on the Nation's Report Card, a national measure of student progress released biennially from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). View the recordings below, which include each of the presentations and the Q and A's that followed.
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Data Insights | Innovative Models | Education-to-Career Pathways | K-12 Success
SCORE Institute: AI's Impact on Education and Career Pathways
January 17, 2025
How can education and workforce leaders work together to explore the transformative potential offered by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and equip students with the skills and knowledge to be successful in careers of the future? A virtual SCORE Institute, AI’s Impact on Education and Career Pathways, on Jan. 13, 2025, focused on this very important connection as the influence of GenAI grows in real time across Tennessee.
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Teachers & Leaders | Education Finance | Postsecondary Success | K-12 Success
Tennessee Education Primer: A Guide for Policymakers, Candidates, and Advocates
January 15, 2025
Educational achievement in Tennessee has shown an encouraging trend over the last several years: In so many cases, students are reaching new heights and pursuing new endeavors. Much credit is due to the foundational laws, policies, and rules established and implemented by leaders who desire to see students succeed. SCORE’s biennial Tennessee Education Primer — featuring educational statistics, trends, and initiatives — reflects that continuing progress.
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