FOSTERING A CULTURE
OF INNOVATION
Since 2010, Tennessee has passed and adopted a series of innovative policies aimed at solving persistent
problems in Tennessee’s schools. From turning around the state’s lowest performing schools to increasing
the rate of Tennessee students graduating from high school prepared for success in postsecondary
education and the workforce, education partners across the state have collaborated on flagship
initiatives that aim to break down some of the most significant barriers Tennessee students face on their
paths to success. The following section provides an overview of innovative initiatives that aim to address
significant challenges in Tennessee schools.
UPDATE ON THE WORK
in Memphis and two in Nashville.106 The ASD serves
significant populations of historically disadvantaged
groups of students with a student body that is
School Turnaround. Over the past several years,
96.6 percent African American and 92.5 percent
the state has launched a series of innovative
economically disadvantaged.107
initiatives to enable the lowest performing 5 percent
of schools to improve and become high-performing
ASD schools are required to occupy their current
schools. The two most prominent turnaround
school building and serve students zoned for that
initiatives, the Achievement School District and
public school. Operators must show substantial
Innovation Zones (iZones), are described below. In
growth. Otherwise, the ASD will assign the school
addition to these efforts, the department continues
to another operator or manage it directly. These
to support additional priority schools that are not
turnaround efforts allow for more innovative
being served through ASD or iZones. This support
practices: Many schools have employed turnaround
includes approved plans that lead to additional
strategies such as extended school days, replacing
funding through School Improvement Grants (SIG).
underperforming teachers, intensive teacher coaching
The department is also strategically using SIG funds
and professional development, and using technology
to replicate the practices that are proving to increase
as a foundational part of the instructional day.108
student achievement. SIG funds also have been used
to support a new iZone incubator in Shelby County.
While the results of ASD schools did not initially meet
all of the district’s aggressive goals during its first two
Achievement School District. The state established
the Achievement School District (ASD) in 2011 as
a school district designed to move the bottom 5
percent of schools in Tennessee into the top 25
percent within five years. Schools with students
performing in the bottom 5 percent based on
achievement results as measured by state
standardized tests are eligible to be administered by
the ASD. The ASD either runs these schools directly
or turns the schools over to approved charter school
operators. Not every school that is in the bottom
5 percent has become part of the ASD. Currently,
there are 29 schools in the ASD, including 27 schools
35
years of operation, third-year results were promising:
• ASD student scores grew faster than the rest
of the state in math and science.
• Four out of five ASD schools in Frayser
(Memphis) had Level 5 TVAAS growth, and math
and science proficiency grew by double digits.
• Students in first year full turnaround high
schools made proficiency gains in every
subject, including double-digit growth in
Algebra and English.109