SCORE’s Review of Tennessee’s Draft ELA and Math Standards
As part of the public review of Tennessee’s draft ELA and math
standards in October through November 2015, SCORE conducted an
in-depth review to evaluate the standards across six key criteria for
high-quality standards: rigor, focus, coherence, specificity, clarity/accessibility,
and measurability.
In general, the SCORE review found the draft standards for both ELA and math to reflect levels
of rigor as high as or higher than those of current standards. The draft standards are clear,
coherent, and specific. State Board of Education staff included SCORE’s feedback in a larger set of
recommendations presented to the Standards Recommendation Committee during its December
meeting. Based on the committee’s approval, ELA and math working groups addressed the
recommendations to produce a revised set of draft standards by mid-January 2016.
in student learning that can occur as a result of
year, and the remaining courses were implemented in
transitioning from one set of standards to another.102
2015-16.103
The standards review process aims to address these
concerns and others by leading to a new set of
In 2015, the Division of Career and Technical
standards that maintains the rigor and coherence of
Education held regional professional development
Tennessee’s current academic standards.
events focused on content and instructional shifts
for the new and revised CTE course standards. In
New Standards for Career and Technical Education.
July, the 2015 Institute for CTE Educators, held at
In 2014, the Tennessee Department of Education’s
the Music City Center in Nashville, brought together
Division of Career and Technical Education completed
educators from across the state for a week of
a thorough revision of standards for career and
professional development activities specific to each
technical education (CTE) courses in Tennessee. The
career cluster.105
purpose of the revision was to increase the rigor
of CTE courses and ensure that all CTE courses
To ensure each Tennessee high school student
align with the academic, postsecondary, and career
graduates prepared for success in college and
opportunities available in Tennessee. During the
the workforce, the state must remain committed
revision process, the Tennessee Department of
to rigorous academic standards that challenge
Education gathered input from statewide industry
each student to reach his or her full potential. As
groups, state legislators, and several hundred CTE
the state prepares to implement new standards
educators from across the state. Industry Advisory
in English language arts and math, policymakers,
Council meetings for 11 different career clusters also
educators, parents, and local community partners
helped inform the standards and programs of study.
must share in this commitment.
In all, the TDOE created new or revised standards for
nearly 200 courses. More than 100 of these course
changes were implemented during the 2014-15 school
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