4. Partner with SCORE’s Leadership Initiative to recruit, select,
and train an adequate number of expert evaluators to implement
the school leadership program approval process in a way that is
consistent with the State Board of Education’s Learning Centered
Leadership policy and that encourages programs to set high
standards and undertake continuous improvement.
5. Partner with SCORE’s Statewide Leadership Initiative to ensure
the Tennessee Academy for School Leaders’ academies and
programs are connected to and supported by ongoing professional
development opportunities in local school districts and higher
education institutions.
Miscellaneous
1. Create a culture of high expectations among all Tennessee Department
of Education employees. The Department should be a resource that
assists districts and schools in ensuring every child succeeds.
2. Annually recognize the top-performing superintendents,
principals, and teachers in the state based on objective criteria
(e.g., new teacher effectiveness measure, student achievement data,
value-added scores, graduation rates).
3. Partner with the Tennessee Education Association to conduct a survey
of teacher working conditions and provide resources to help individual
schools use the survey to improve their work environment.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
1. Encourage a culture of high expectations for students, educators,
and schools in your area. Emphasize that no matter a student’s
background, he or she can succeed.
2. Make education a top priority in your community. Work to
make parents, community leaders, faith-based organizations, and
businesses understand the importance of education, and make
education your local government’s top funding priority.
3. Support local school systems as they work to implement the
Tennessee Diploma Project. Help educate the public about the
Diploma Project, including why it is important for your local
economy and all the individuals who live there.
4. Hold your local school system accountable by actively engaging in
education issues at the district level and educating the community
about key school outcomes. Ensure your engagement is focused on
providing schools the support they need to succeed.
5. Create public-private partnerships to support local schools. For
example, invest in afterschool programs for at-risk students,
support the creation of programs that help recruit high-quality
candidates into teaching, and provide special recognition for
excellent teachers.