LETTER FROM SENATOR BILL FRIST
AND JAMIE WOODSON
January 16, 2015
In 2014, Tennessee faced challenges in its work to maintain a
commitment to preparing all students for success after high school.
These challenges drove parents, educators, policymakers, and other
stakeholders to reflect on where we started and to recognize why we
have come so far. Diverse stakeholders asked important questions:
Why is it so important to set such high expectations for student
learning? How do we best support the teachers and school leaders
who are working to improve student learning in our classrooms every
day? How can we continue to break down the barriers preventing our
students from achieving success in college and career?
When SCORE was launched in 2009, we saw an opportunity to
pull diverse stakeholders together around the unifying goal of
dramatically improving student achievement in Tennessee. Over the
last several years, the collaborative efforts of educators, policymakers,
and other stakeholders have helped Tennessee become the fastestimproving state in the nation in terms of student achievement. The
gains Tennessee students made are significant and unprecedented
in our state’s history. From raising academic standards to developing
meaningful educator evaluations, Tennessee has become a national
leader in the work to improve student achievement. Our state passed
and implemented courageous policies to help ensure that all students
graduate from high school prepared for college and the workforce.
As we begin 2015, it will be important to reflect on the significant
progress we have made and to jointly recommit to the important work
ahead. Student achievement is improving, but this improvement
must be sustained and accelerated. To ensure our students continue
to grow in their achievement in 2015, we will need to implement
high-quality assessments that are aligned to Tennessee’s State
Standards, to ensure the continued and improved implementation
of Tennessee’s State Standards in math and English language arts,
to elevate the teaching profession in Tennessee, and to transform
instruction through effective school leadership. As we push forward
in each of these key areas, we must continue to measure our
progress, identify challenges, and construct innovative solutions to
persistent problems.
The 2014-15 State of Education in Tennessee report provides an
overview of the academic gains the state has made, examines the
work that has contributed to the improvements students have
experienced, highlights education priorities for Tennessee in
2015, and provides extensive state and district data. We share this
information with the continued understanding that our ultimate
goal is for every student in Tennessee to graduate from high school
prepared for college and the workforce. It will take the dedication
of all partners in the work – from educators and policymakers to
parents and students – for Tennessee to reach this goal. We look
forward to our work in the year ahead and hope you will join us as
we continue to push toward a goal of college and career readiness
for all Tennessee students.
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