Inside TNSuccess

We’ve done just that these last few weeks and before Tennesseans went to the polls, we spent the summer talking to voters about education, commonsense education reforms, and supporters of education in districts across the state. We wanted to share a few words from our post-election recap (full text here) and thank you for taking on the fight for student success with us.

“Every election day brings the possibility of changing course in the General Assembly. As Tennessee’s students, teachers, parents, administrators, community leaders, and education advocates continue their work to make sure every child in the state has the opportunity to succeed, it is paramount Nashville stay focused on student success. Tennessee kids are the fastest improving in the nation in education and every elected official must be committed to that work…

“As we celebrate the victories of Senator Dolores Gresham, Senator Steve Dickerson, Representative Charles Sargent, Representative Jon Lundberg, and Representative John DeBerry we are grateful voters considered the message of student-centered, commonsense education reform and voted for what’s best for their children, their teachers, their classrooms, and their futures.”

Last week, the state Department of Education published results from their annual Tennessee Educator Survey. You’ve heard us say time and time again that accountability in the classroom means everyone in the classroom is accountable for student success. We were encouraged to hear that an overwhelming number of Tennessee’s teachers felt the same way. Here’s a link to the full survey. We wanted to share the statement we gave last week as a reminder that we will continue to be engaged in the work to make sure Tennessee’s classrooms are ready for success.

“Yesterday’s release of the 2016 Tennessee Educator Survey highlights another piece of Tennessee’s historic student achievement gains – when there is accountability for all involved in our classrooms, all involved in our classrooms find success.

“More than 30,000 educators completed the Survey, now in its sixth year, and the results showcase the value teachers place in Tennessee’s statewide evaluation system to not only give them a snapshot of their own success in the classroom, but to offer real opportunity to grow in their profession. Accountability in the classroom cannot exist for its own sake, but as a tool to encourage, enhance, and direct student success.

“More than 2/3rds of educators offered the accountability system as a reason for improvements in teaching and student learning. Perhaps more encouragingly, 71% of teachers mentioned the accountability system as the reason for improvement in their teaching strategies. Nearly all teachers receiving feedback from the state’s evaluation process recalled an improvement in their teaching as a result and 90 percent of teachers report that their school leaders protect their instructional time.

Tennessee’s teachers are a key piece to student success and no reform can exist without their engagement and support. The Tennessee Educator Survey ensures our teachers’ voices and perceptions on education reforms and policies are heard.”