Policy & Advocacy

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.

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.

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.