October 3, 2018 News
‘We do not need to start over,’ educators advise Haslam on TNReady
Tennessee’s 3-year-old standardized test is rife with problems big and small — but doesn’t need to be scrubbed and rebuilt from scratch, according to a new report summarizing what educators told Gov. Bill Haslam during his recent statewide “listening tour.” The report instead recommends fixing the test, called TNReady, both online and on paper, and forging ahead with Tennessee’s transition to...Read MoreOctober 2, 2018 News
Business, education partnerships are helping Williamson County students | Opinion
Two months into the school year is a good reminder of the role talent plays in successful economic development. With an unemployment rate at historically low levels, access to skilled talent is the most important attribute of a community. In addition, automation has created an uneasiness among workers, especially lower-skilled workers, and it is clear the exponential growth of technology in...Read MoreOctober 2, 2018 News
Here’s what school and district leaders have to say about Tennessee education
Concerns about school funding and the condition of school buildings were front and center in results published Tuesday from a statewide survey of Tennessee education leaders. Of the 575 leaders who responded, none said that they thought Tennessee’s funding formula should stay as it is, according to TennesseeCAN, a Nashville-based education advocacy organization. This is the third year of the...Read MoreOctober 1, 2018 News
Tennessee hits highest graduation rate for second year in a row
Tennessee’s graduation rate held steady year over year, maintaining the record rate of 89.1 percent that was recorded last school year. In Middle Tennessee, Nashville public schools posted a similar graduation rate from the previous year while Williamson County Schools posted one of its highest graduation rates in several years. Overall, more than 56 percent of districts with high...Read MoreSeptember 28, 2018 News
Strong principals retain effective teachers—and don’t retain ineffective ones
Research consistently shows that teacher turnover has negative effects on schools and students. For this reason, education researchers have devoted a great deal of attention to identifying the factors that drive teachers to leave their schools. Several such studies conclude that the quality of a school’s leadership is among the most important predictors of teacher turnover. Prior...Read MoreSeptember 27, 2018 News
Dr. Joseph Cautions Against Quick Fixes for Under Performing Metro Schools
Superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools Dr. Shawn Joseph led a presentation to a packed audience of educators, media and parents why some 21 Nashville area schools had been added to the state list of “priority” schools – meaning schools that have fallen below minimum standards on testing results and were a priority for improvement and additional state funding. Most of the low...Read MoreSeptember 27, 2018 News
University of North Georgia implementing ‘Momentum Year’ to help freshmen get a taste of their major
For many college students, the toughest part of earning a bachelor’s degree is getting through those first two years of core classes and settling on a major area of study. To help alleviate this burden, the University of North Georgia (along with other schools in the University System of Georgia) is preparing to launch its “Momentum Year” beginning in the 2019 fall semester, which aims to give...Read MoreSeptember 27, 2018 News
Tennessee community colleges see highest graduation rate, enrollment increase
The College System of Tennessee has seen a growth in enrollment and Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect participants, as well as the highest graduation rate recorded. Enrollment in the College System has grown slightly, with 88,352 students enrolled in community colleges in the system, according to the preliminary numbers. Numbers were announced at the Board of Regents committee meetings...Read MoreSeptember 25, 2018 News
America’s Achievement Gap — Made, Not Born? What a Study of 30,000 Students Reveals About Lowered Expectations and Poorer-Quality Instruction for Kids of Color
Students of color consistently receive less challenging instruction and schoolwork than do their white and more affluent classmates, a new study has found, often leaving them unprepared for college even if they have received top grades. The report used extensive surveying of students, who wore vibrating watches that prompted them to take surveys during class. Their responses suggest that the...Read MoreSeptember 21, 2018 News