Prepared for Day One | Page 39

Educator preparation programs, the Tennessee Department of Education, and the State Board of Education each have a significant responsibility to ensure that Tennessee’s next generation of teachers enters the classroom well prepared to improve student learning and contribute toward narrowing achievement gaps for historically underserved students. This report finds both encouraging practices within several EPPs to ensure effective preparation, including providing teacher candidates with strong classroom-based experiences and multiple opportunities for EPPs, TDOE, SBE, and school districts to enact improvements. Most notably, there are several options to increase collaboration between EPPs and school districts, improve the licensure assessment system, and enhance the racial and ethnic diversity of the state’s teaching population. This report’s recommendations identify the most promising opportunities to advance educator preparation in the state. Success will require sustained efforts from all partners to ensure that new teachers enter Tennessee classrooms with the preparation they deserve and all our students need. 40