October 19, 2020
We’re proud to announce the middle school division winner of our 2020 Tristar Reads summer reading competition. Congratulations to Sarah Collier! Sarah is an 8th grader at Harpeth Middle School and was joined by Mayor Tony Gross, Rep. Mary Littleton, and her family at the South Cheatham Library last week to be awarded her $1000 scholarship.
Today, Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) released the following statement after Governor Bill Lee (R-Tenn.) and Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn announced the state would conduct its annual end-of-assessment for the 2020-2021 school year.
“Tennessee students and teachers have been challenged this year in ways we could not have imagined. We have been inspired by the commitment demonstrated by parents and teachers to provide intellectually challenging learning opportunities for students across the state,” said Adam Lister, TSS President & CEO. “In these uncertain times, abandoning testing and progress reporting for our students would be a mistake and result in leaving some of our students behind. By continuing with end-of-year testing, the governor ensures each Tennessee student will receive the support they need based on objective data to measure learning loss, inequities, and areas of improvement. We also believe, in this extraordinary moment, student growth measures should not be used in teacher evaluations unless it benefits the teacher and supports his or her professional growth. We thank Governor Lee and Commissioner Schwinn for their commitment to student improvement and growth in the future generation.”
According to TSS polling in June 2020, 83 percent of Tennessee voters believe it is important to hold schools and teachers accountable and 62 percent believe it is important to test public school students from grades 3-12 each year to know if they are on-track.
Read the press release online here.
October is National Higher Education Month! It’s a great time to recognize all postsecondary options, from career and technical education to four-year programs, and to remember the importance of lifelong learning. At TSS, we advocate for higher, better academic standards that prepare Tennessee kids for success in a 21st-century economy and an opportunity for success in the future.
That said, it was recently announced that Tennessee Promise applications are down 20 percent across the state this year. TN Promise offers students the opportunity to access a postsecondary credential tuition-free and offers support through their mentor program. Current high school seniors must apply for TN Promise by November 2, 2020. Apply HERE.
Want to hear from a current student at Nashville State and her experience? Click the Tweet to watch Manisha share her journey to a computer information technology degree.
We’re grateful to Tennessee principals for instilling their wisdom and leadership to promote student success in the Volunteer State. As we continue to celebrate National Principal’s Month, watch Mrs. Wilkins share a part of her story and what motivates her to champion her students each and every day. We are thankful for the work principals do around the state. If are a Tennessee principal or know an outstanding principal with a story you’d like to share, we’d love to promote your work! Simply reply to our email.
Watch Principal Wilkins from LEAD Southeast High School share her story here.
