In addition, some teachers continue to express
Legislative Change. During the 2015 legislative
concerns about the use of student test scores
session, legislators proposed several changes to
in teacher evaluations, especially for teachers of
Tennessee’s teacher evaluation system. Some of
untested grades and subjects.
these changes would have significantly weakened
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the system by reducing the number of effectiveness
Over recent years, Tennessee has implemented
categories for teachers or suspending the use of
policies and programs aimed at connecting results
student outcome data.23 In the end, the legislature
from teacher evaluations to support for teachers
passed a bill presented by Governor Haslam. The
in their daily practice. For example, in Fall 2015, the
bill, known as the Tennessee Teaching Evaluation
Tennessee Department of Education launched the
Enhancement Act, adjusts how TVAAS scores are
Instructional Partnership Initiative (IPI), a program
factored into teacher evaluations during the transition
that uses teacher evaluation feedback to provide
to Tennessee’s new assessment, TNReady. In the
personalized professional development through
2015-16 school year, TVAAS will continue to account
collaborative teacher partnerships.21 IPI partners
for 35 percent of the evaluation score for teachers
teachers who struggle in particular areas of practice
of tested grades and subjects and will be based on
with teachers who have demonstrated success in
three years of student growth data. However, growth
those areas. During a two-year pilot of the program,
data from the new TNReady assessment will count
schools that implemented teacher partnership teams
for only 10 percent of the evaluation. Additionally,
saw their school-wide Tennessee Comprehensive
teachers may elect to use TNReady to account for
Assessment Program (TCAP) scores increase in both
35 percent of the evaluation if they choose. The
reading and mathematics compared to comparable
Tennessee Tea ching Evaluation Enhancement Act
schools that did not
also reduces the weight on student achievement and
implement the program.
growth data for teachers of non-tested grades and
During the 2015-16 school
subjects from 40 percent to 30 percent.24
year, approximately half of
Tennessee schools have the
Over the next three years, the amount of weight
opportunity to participate
placed on TNReady growth data in teachers’
in IPI.
evaluations will gradually increase (Figures 1-4).
22
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