As educators it often seems that we have two options. Either we embrace the change handed down from Nashville without question, or we wait until a new governor takes over and implements different changes. In fact, when I began my teaching career, “Just wait, it’ll change” was the advice given to me by a veteran…
Dear Friends, There is a great dedication among Tennessee teachers to their students and their profession. The Tennessee Educator Fellowship is a way for them to channel that dedication into advocacy on behalf of student-centered policies and practices. Applications are now being accepted for the 2016-17 cohort, and I have been thinking about some insight…
“How do you find the time to do it all?” I frequently hear this question from several colleagues, co-workers, and friends who wonder about the balancing act of being a teacher, mother, and advocate for students through the SCORE Tennessee Educator Fellowship. My usual response is, “I have absolutely no idea.” As I reflect on…
When students at Trousdale County High School see graduation coach Shelley Cook waiting for them after class, they usually know what brought her there. Maybe it’s a course grade starting to slip below passing, or a substantial assignment that wasn’t turned in. Trousdale County High – which is the only high school in SCORE Prize-winning…
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) announced today that it is expanding the Tennessee Educator Fellowship and currently accepting applications for the 2016-17 class. Over the course of a year, Tennessee Educator Fellows learn about, reflect upon, and advocate for policies, practices, and systems that improve educator effectiveness and student achievement. Teachers selected for the…
Text messages. Emails. Fliers in the mail. Saturday meetings at coffee shops. When it comes to keeping lines of communication open with parents, 2015 SCORE Prize finalist KIPP Academy Nashville puts every possible channel to use, according to parent Debra Payne. “Their ability to be available is constant. The ability of them to be approachable…
Dear Friends, For the release of the 2015-16 State of Education in Tennessee report, Senator Bill Frist, the founder and chairman of SCORE, led a panel discussion with some of the policy leaders who have been deeply involved since Tennessee took its first strides toward greater student success. The panel recalled the determination displayed by education…
Fourth-grader J’Tyler Jones has a lot of information at his fingertips. He can list at length the programs he loves at Delano Optional School in Memphis, the elementary school winner of the 2015 SCORE Prize. And he can rattle off facts he picked up during his school’s lunch hour, like state capitals. “I learned that Montana…
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) today released the 2015-16 State of Education in Tennessee report and a list of five priorities that Tennessee should pursue in 2016 to sustain and accelerate recent student achievement gains. The nonprofit, nonpartisan education research and advocacy group compiles the state’s comprehensive annual report that examines recent successes…
Breakfast is a social time at Andersonville Elementary, a 2015 SCORE Prize finalist school. Volunteers from a nearby church – many of whom are retirees – stop by first thing each morning to eat breakfast with the kids, open cartons of milk, and chat about the day ahead. “It’s the easiest thing to do. It…
Elementary school students at Dyersburg City Schools might find themselves, in the middle of the day, removing scuff marks from a hallway or helping walk a dog. Dyersburg City Schools Director Neel Durbin says these responsibilities bring out the best in students of all ages, academically and otherwise. And apparently, the kids like it. “We…
Beating the odds. For building confidence and identity, there’s nothing better. Just ask DeVonte Collins. Last year, DeVonte – currently a senior at 2015 SCORE Prize high school winner, The Soulsville Charter School in Memphis – had only a 4 percent chance of scoring “proficient” on his end-of-course exam (EOC) in Algebra II, according to…
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) has announced its new five-year strategic plan to help sustain and advance Tennessee’s momentum and success as the fastest-improving state in the nation in student achievement. Since 2009, SCORE, a non-profit, non-partisan organization, has been an active and leading player in collaboratively supporting Tennessee’s work to better prepare students…
After a U.S. Senate vote of 85-12 and a U.S. House of Representatives vote of 359-64, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the successor to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), into law. The final version of the ESSA totals more than a thousand pages and follows years of negotiations. Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, one of the…
Dear Friends, The Thanksgiving holiday reminds us to be thankful for the things that truly matter to us. While there are many things I am grateful for personally and professionally, my thanks must include the thousands of educators across Tennessee who are working hard every day to ensure our students are prepared for success beyond…
Today the U.S. Department of Education released results of the 2015 administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card. Nationally, results demonstrate the reality that more concerted efforts are needed to advance student mastery of math, as well as reading. Many states’ results declined, while Tennessee held…
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) has announced the winners of the fifth annual SCORE Prize, which honors Tennessee public schools and school districts with student achievement results that make them leaders in learning in the state. The 2015 SCORE Prize winners are: • Delano Optional School, a technology focus school in Shelby County Schools,…
“The Grass Is Greener Where You Water It” campaign launched in July and is aimed at improving community engagement with MCPS to help make students of all ages successful. This Twitter chat is just one way the campaign hopes to involve community dialogue and make an impact on high school students looking ahead to college….
On September 8, SCORE announced the 12 finalists for the fifth annual SCORE Prize. Four weeks, 12 schools, 10 districts, 1,800 miles, one speeding ticket, and five pounds later, I returned to Nashville invigorated by the incredible work happening in schools across Tennessee. I met well over a hundred of the most dedicated, loving, and…
Dear Friends, On Monday, October 26, SCORE will honor the schools and districts that are leaders in student learning at the 2015 SCORE Prize event. Every year of SCORE Prize is special because of the opportunity to lift up nine exceptional schools and three outstanding districts for their phenomenal work on behalf of student achievement….