Tennessee: College and Career Policies

Student Assessments: Assessment Authority

The Tennessee State Board of Education has full authority per state law.

Educator Professional Growth and Development: Professional Development

Tennessee has adopted 7 standards for professional learning: learning communities, leadership, resources, data, learning designs, implementation, and outcomes.

Educator Performance Evaluation: Educator Evaluation Authority

In July 2011, Tennessee implemented a student outcomes-based, statewide educator evaluation system: the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM). This implementation was a key tenet of Tennessee’s First to the Top Act, adopted by the General Assembly with bipartisan support during 2010’s extraordinary session under the backdrop of the federal Race to the Top competition. This landmark legislation established the parameters of a new teacher and principal evaluation system and committed to implementation during the 2011-12 school year

Content Standards: Science

Tennessee updated the science standards in 2010.

Educator Performance Evaluation: Educator Evaluation Policy

Required by law as part of its Race to the Top application, Tennessee was one of the first states in the nation to implement a comprehensive, outcomes-based evaluation system. The Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) requires that 40-50% of annual educator evaluations are based on student performance measures. The Tennessee Teaching Evaluation Enhancement Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-1-302) adjusts the current weighting of student growth data in an educator’s evaluation to lessen the evaluation score impact of new assessments in English language arts and math (called TNReady), as well as social studies and science.

Graduation Requirements: Science

This includes Biology, Chemistry or Physics, and a third lab course.

Educator Preparation and Licensure: Educator Licensure Authority

The Tennessee State Board of Education has complete jurisdiction over educator licensure.

Content Standards: Social Studies

After receiving feedback and insight from educators in Tennessee and reviewing national exemplars in social studies education and two sets of draft standards, the State Board of Education approved on second read the new social studies standards on July 26, 2013. These standards were implemented in the 2014-15 school year. Teachers with a history 7-12 endorsement or a geography 7-12 endorsement are qualified to teach both the U.S. history and geography course and world history and geography course.

Educator Preparation and Licensure: Educator Licensure Policy

In order to be certified as a teacher, applicants must hold a bachelor's degree, pass required examinations, and complete an approved teacher preparation program.

Graduation Requirements: Social Studies

This includes U.S. History and Geography, World History and Geography, U.S. Government and Civics, and Economics.

Educator Preparation and Licensure: Educator Preparation Authority

The Tennessee State Board of Education assesses and approves educator preparation programs.

Content Standards: Standards Authority

The State Board of Education has full authority to adopt standards as per Tennessee Education Code 49.

Professional Program Standards and Requirements: Educator Preparation Policy

In order to be approved, teacher preparation programs must follow 6 standards: knowledge and skills pertaining to all areas, communications, humanities and arts, social science and culture, science and technology, and mathematical concepts and applications.

Educator Preparation and Licensure: Teacher Licensure Renewal

Professional development is required for teacher license renewal in Tennessee.

Content Standards: English as a second language

Tennessee Rules and Regulations require that students whose first language is other than English and who are limited in their English language proficiency be provided with a specially designed alternative language program. [Rule 0520-1-3-.056. a. 1 and 2 ii.]

Content Standards: Technology

Content Standards: English Language Arts

Tennessee updated the English language arts standards in 2010.

Content Standards: World Languages

World language academic standards include both classic and modern languages. Classic languages usually include Latin and Greek while modern languages include those languages currently being spoken around the world.

Graduation Requirements: English Language Arts

Content Standards: Career and Technical Education Standards

The State Board of Education has authority over the adoption of Career and Technical Education Standards.

Student Assessments: English Language Arts

The department has terminated its statewide testing contract with Measurement Inc., effective immediately. While high school testing will continue as planned, the state will suspend grade 3-8 testing during the 2015-16 school year due to Measurement Inc.’s inability to deliver all testing materials.

Content Standards: Health

Tennessee's Health Education Standards can be used to support the effective implementation of comprehensive health education as one of the components of Coordinated School Health.

Content Standards: Mathematics

Tennessee updated the math standards in 2010. Mathematics standards for instruction apply to all mathematics courses in all grades K-12.

Graduation Requirements: Additional Graduation Requirements

This includes:
-1.5 credits of of physical education and wellness;
-0.5 credits of personal finance;
-2 credits of foreign language (May be waived for students not going to a University to expand and enhance the elective focus);
-1 credit of fine arts (May be waived for students not going to a University to expand and enhance the elective focus); and,
-3 credits consisting of Math and Science, Career and Technical Education, Fine Arts, Humanities, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB)

Graduation Requirements: Mathematics

This includes Algebra I and II, Geometry or the equivalent, and another mathematics course beyond Algebra I. Students must be enrolled in a mathematics course each school year.

Educator Professional Growth and Development: Administrator Licensure Renewal

Administrators are required to acquire 60 professional development points.

Student Assessments: Mathematics

In November 2014, the State of Tennessee completed the process to replace the state’s current TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program) assessments in English language arts (ELA) and math. The new measurements of learning for ELA and math will be called Tennessee Ready (TNReady) and will be administered beginning in the 2015-16 school year.

Content Standards: Arts (Fine Arts)

Tennessee fine arts academic standards include separate sets of standards for each of the four arts: dance, music, theater, and visual art. Each set of standards is based on the national standards for that art area. Each has grade level standards for K-5, subject area course standards for grades 6-8, and course-level standards for grades 9-12. Working from the national standards, teams of educators in each area developed the state standards including Grade or Course Level Expectations (GLEs or CLEs) and Checks for Understanding.

Content Standards: Other

The State Board of Education is charged under Tennessee statute with setting and approving academic standards. State Board policy 3.209 requires that the Board review all sets of academic standards at a minimum of every 6 years. Tennessee has other standards in, counseling and career guidance, early learning development, and personal finance.

State Policy Database

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