Marta W. Aldrich, Chalkbeat Tennessee
From an ‘F’ to an ‘A’, Tennessee now sets high expectations for students, says Harvard study
Criticized for setting low expectations for students just a decade ago, Tennessee has dramatically raised the bar for standards that now rank among the top in the nation, according to a new analysis from Harvard University.
The state earned an “A” for its 2017 proficiency...
By getting testing wrong again, Tennessee could undo what it may be getting right
After languishing for decades, Tennessee is now considered a pioneer in education improvement circles, while its standing on national tests has risen from the bottom to the middle of the pack over the last decade.
Quick to embrace higher academic standards, the state also explored...
Tennessee wants to step up its game on STEM education, starting with these 15 schools
While STEM has become a popular buzzword in education, Tennessee is seeking to recognize schools that are exemplary in teaching students about science, technology, engineering, and math.
Education Commissioner Candice McQueen on Tuesday announced the first crop of 15 schools to earn the state’s new...
Does Tennessee’s emergency response to testing problems conflict with federal ed law? Stay tuned.
The trouble with developing an emergency exit plan in the midst of a fire is that it’s hard to think through all the details.
That’s how some are describing the recent flurry of lawmaking in Tennessee, where lawmakers passed two pieces of emergency legislation last...
‘I do not plan to resign,’ says state education commissioner
Candice McQueen adamantly told state lawmakers Wednesday that she will not step down as Tennessee’s education commissioner over the state’s bungling of standardized tests for a third straight year.
One day after House Democrats called for the embattled leader to resign, McQueen reported that students...
Two years after massive testing snafus, Tennessee will test more students online than ever
Tennessee has been slow-walking its schools into online testing ever since a wholesale switch in 2016 went bust.
Now in its third year of the TNReady era, the state will test more students digitally this spring than ever before. And partly because of the...
Concerned about over-testing, Tennessee will eliminate two high school exams
Tennessee will drop two end-of-course exams for high schoolers next school year in its most significant reduction of state testing in recent years.
The state’s testing task force voted Monday to eliminate standardized tests for chemistry and English III — essentially cutting by more than...
The Nation’s Report Card is out soon. Will Tennessee’s hot streak continue?
The Nation’s Report Card has served as both a carrot stick and a kick in the pants to Tennessee in its quest to improve public schools.
The kick in the pants came first, when the state got called out in 2007 for the wide gap...
Tennessee opened a Pandora’s box by lifting the ban on new school districts. Now on to the details.
When a 2013 state law allowed six Shelby County towns to break away from the newly merged Memphis district and create their own school systems, some lawmakers warned it would open up a Pandora’s box across Tennessee.
Sen. Todd Gardenhire
Now a handful of towns are...
Bill to arm some Tennessee teachers with guns on hold for now
A Tennessee lawmaker is delaying his proposal to arm some teachers with handguns.
Rep. David Byrd
Rep. David Byrd, who Gov. Bill Haslam named this week to a 17-member panel charged with scrutinizing school safety in Tennessee, said Tuesday he will take a "wait and see"...