a report at the end of year one of implementation
of Education, the State Board of Education, and
of the Educator Preparation Policy highlighting key
teacher preparation programs begin implementing
milestones, successes and challenges, and priorities
the Educator Preparation Policy, the policy must be
for the following year. To further improve the quality
implemented with fidelity and yield real improvements
of teaching across the state, the State Board of
in educator preparation across the state. The State
Education should also consider increasing the cut-
Board of Education’s efforts to redesign the teacher
score on the PRAXIS and content-area exams required
preparation report card should result in a report that
to qualify for a Tennessee teacher license. The State
provides prospective educators, local school districts,
Board of Education took an important step in 2014 by
and policymakers with actionable, user-friendly data
adopting the Educator Preparation Policy, laying the
on the state of teacher preparation programs
foundation for increased rigor in Tennessee’s teacher
in Tennessee.
preparation programs. As the Tennessee Department
Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Trousdale County
Recruiting and retaining teachers in Trousdale County, winner of the 2015
District SCORE Prize, is one part of an overall system of educator
development and support. Trousdale County retains more teachers
with the highest scores on their teacher evaluation rubric than most
districts in the state of Tennessee. Because Trousdale County start ing teacher
salaries are not as competitive as nearby school systems, the system has intentionally
focused on how to grow excellent teachers and retain them over time.
Trousdale’s system of support and development seeks to recruit high-quality teachers from all over
Tennessee and nationally, place them where they will be most effective, provide them with individualized
professional development, and reward them through compensation and growth opportunities such as
teacher leadership roles. Teacher-student assignment in Trousdale County is designed to set teachers
up for success based on previous student achievement data. The school system uses TVAAS data
annually to assign students to teachers based on the teachers’ strengths and weaknesses. Students
on a particular achievement level are assigned to teachers who have had success with students at
that level. High-performing teachers then progress more quickly through the system’s compensation
structures and can end up earning more than they might in surrounding school systems. District leaders
cite this intentional strategy as part of why Trousdale retains so many top-level teachers.
Improve Teacher Compensation in Tennessee.
Tennessee the fastest improving state in the nation
Tennessee’s leaders must deliver on their commitment
in teacher pay.
to making Tennessee the fastest improving state in
53
the nation in teacher pay. Currently, Tennessee ranks
Expand Access to High-Quality Literacy Instruction.
40th compared to other states in average salary for
The Tennessee Department of Education, with
instructional staff.169 In order to recruit and retain high-
the support of CORE Offices, should scale up and
quality teachers in Tennessee schools, Tennessee’s
improve state-level training on reading instruction
leaders should deliver on their commitment to making
for all teachers, with a focus on early grade teachers.