Policy & Advocacy

Teachers trained in Tennessee are staying in Tennessee to teach. So, what can their training institutions (educator preparation providers, or EPPs) and future districts do to foster an even deeper connection between training and the classroom? 

The question is particularly important to ensure effective instruction reflecting Tennessee’s new literacy policies. Collaboration between EPPs and school districts is critical. This paper offers both a framework for this new model and an elementary school site visit toolkit.  

As of fall 2023, more than half of all U.S. workers use artificial intelligence (AI) for work. The education field is no exception to this trend, as teachers across the nation are exploring ways AI can transform their work and help students learn. Despite the incredible promise of this new technology, many educators are still at the starting line — nationally, over half of teachers have never used AI. The opportunity that generative AI (GenAI) — programs that can generate text, images, and other media — brings to Tennessee’s classrooms, however, is worth the exploration. Our memo outlines two readily available tools for teachers to either dip a toe in the water or take a full-on first dive into AI to experience the possibilities and limitations of AI in its current state.  

The Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) modernized the state’s K-12 education funding formula to focus on individual student need while establishing a foundation of education finance that supports all students to succeed in school, careers, and life. Tennessee should remain committed to the TISA funding formula as a foundational policy that provides the resources for initiatives and investments that drive improved student outcomes.