The Tennessee Department of Education should
CULTIVATE COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS
PARTNERSHIPS IN EDUCATION. Local
continue to support district leaders in the improved
communities and businesses should deepen their
implementation of principal evaluation, providing
investment in Tennessee education, providing
them with the resources they need to effectively
districts and schools with additional resources
build principals’ instructional leadership skills. During
and support that will accelerate improved student
SCORE’s 2015 Listening Tour, many principals
learning across the state. In order for Tennessee to
provided positive feedback on their experience with
reach its goal of ensuring all students graduate from
principal evaluation, noting that they had meaningful
high school prepared for postsecondary education
conversations with their evaluators, allowing them to
and the workforce, community and business partners
reflect more intentionally on their practice. Even so,
across the state must expand their investments
principals also noted areas for improvement in the
in Tennessee’s schools. Families, foundations,
implementation of the principal evaluation, indicating
nonprofit organizations, businesses, and community
a need for more follow-up support and access to
groups across the state must engage and leverage
additional professional learning opportunities after
their resources and skills to meet the needs of
the evaluation.175 In year two of implementation,
all Tennessee students, whether through
district leaders must have access to high-quality
internship and youth apprenticeship
professional learning opportunities that lead to
opportunities, after-
improved feedback and support for principals. These
school programs,
Strengthen the Principal Evaluation System.
professional learning opportunities should focus on
evidence-based strategies to improve instruction and
student learning in their schools.
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