Dear Friends, The beginning of a new year always brings hope. For the diverse partners in education, a new year is a fresh opportunity to dream big on behalf of Tennessee students and to resolve again to follow through on the work we have begun to prepare every student for success in college, career, and…
People often ask me what my favorite part of SCORE Prize is. Hands down it is the opportunity to make 12 site visits to the finalist schools and districts to observe, interview, and learn from teachers and school/district leaders, who are getting great results for Tennessee students. I walk away from these visits renewed and…
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) has released the following statement from President and CEO Jamie Woodson on Governor Bill Haslam’s announcement that he has selected Dr. Candice McQueen, Senior Vice President and Dean of the College of Education at Lipscomb University, to be commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education: Leadership matters. In…
We talk a lot about numbers in education reform. Standardized test scores, value-added assessments, rankings. And while research, statistics, and outcomes are all vital, we can’t lose sight of why all of this work matters in the first place: Tennessee students. Consequently, it is important to understand that behind every number is a student whose…
When I took the opportunity to intern at SCORE, my main hope for the semester was to spend time speaking with and learning from the various stakeholders that SCORE partners with. Although there is something to learn from all groups involved, I started my semester with a particular interest in school leadership. As a Human…
Dear Friends, Since SCORE was founded, we have supported student-centered education policies in Tennessee. Raising the bar in the classroom and other improvements in education have delivered unprecedented results for children. In particular, having high academic standards can help lead to students better prepared for postsecondary study and to reduced remediation rates. Importantly, all Tennesseans…
The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) will grow 17 percent by 2018 – nearly double the growth for non-STEM fields. Projections show that by 2018, the U.S. will have more than 1.2 million unfilled STEM jobs because there will not be enough qualified workers to fill…
As Tennessee embraces higher academic standards and prepares students for a more competitive and demanding economy, the training that teachers receive is increasingly important. Research has shown time and again that teachers are the most important in-school factor in driving student achievement. As such, focusing on understanding and improving the quality of teacher preparation programs…
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) today released the following statement from President and CEO Jamie Woodson on the announcement that Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman is stepping down. Commissioner Huffman has been a leader in education in Tennessee during a challenging yet rewarding time – challenging because our state has made…
One of the key components of Tennessee’s academic standards is asking the question “why.” Students are no longer required to simply select the correct answer to a straight-forward problem, but must also explain and justify their reasoning. For example, it is important that math students know that 5 to the negative fifth power is 1/25,…
Dear Friends, On October 27th, SCORE hosted the fourth annual SCORE Prize event. The SCORE Prize is one of the most rewarding parts of our work at SCORE, because it gives us a chance to recognize and celebrate the schools and districts that that are working tirelessly to improve educational outcomes for Tennessee students. All…
As a former classroom teacher and current education policy student at Vanderbilt, I am interested in measuring teaching quality to develop instruction and improve student learning in classrooms. Teachers have a greater impact on student learning than any other in-school factor. For this reason, it is critical to ensure quality teaching in every classroom. In…
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) has announced the winners of the fourth annual SCORE Prize. The winners – three public schools and one district– were recognized for being leaders in student learning in Tennessee. The 2014 SCORE Prize winners are: • Dresden Elementary School, part of Weakley County Schools, in the elementary school category. • Hillsboro Elementary/Middle…
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) has released the following statement from President and CEO Jamie Woodson in response to Governor Bill Haslam’s announcement of a review process for Tennessee’s K-12 academic standards in English language arts and mathematics: Since SCORE was founded in 2009, we have supported high academic standards as one of four…
Although I have worked on the SCORE Prize since 2011, this is my first year to visit all but one of the finalists. It’s the first time I have had the opportunity to see firsthand the innovation, passion, and dedication of these communities and talk with them about why this work is so important. As…
After more than 2,000 votes in a Facebook poll, we have our finalists in the Students Rise to the Challenge scholarship competition. Congratulations to Ethan Swift, Lamar Elementary (Washington County Schools), and Katie Workman, Foothills Elementary (Maryville City Schools), in the elementary school category; Vincent Gould, Robinson Middle School (Kingsport City Schools), and Harleigh O’Brien,…
Dear Friends, I am excited that October has arrived, the month when SCORE is privileged to honor the schools, school districts, and communities that are rising to the challenge of preparing all Tennessee students for college and career. On Monday, October 27, at the fourth annual SCORE Prize event, SCORE will recognize the Tennessee public…
The Students Rise to the Challenge scholarship competition has chosen 15 semifinalists to compete for three $250 college scholarships. Now, SCORE is asking for your help to determine our finalists by participating in our Facebook poll. The competition provides a way for students to add their voices to the conversation that is helping to shape…
Dear Friends, All over Tennessee, schools and districts are rising to the challenge of preparing all students for success after high school. The hard work of our educators, parents, community members, and students has helped Tennessee become the fastest-improving state in the nation for student achievement. Each year, SCORE celebrates the accomplishments of educators and…
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) today announced the 12 finalists for the fourth annual SCORE Prize. The prize recognizes the Tennessee elementary, middle, and high schools and school districts that are leaders in student learning. The 2014 SCORE Prize finalists are: Elementary • Dresden Elementary, Weakley County Schools. • Highland Park Elementary, Loudon County…