UPDATE ON THE WORK : 2016
Over recent years , improvements in policy and practice have driven continued gains in student achievement in Tennessee . The core components of Tennessee ’ s work to advance student learning fall into three major areas :
EMPOWERING PEOPLE . Every classroom , school , and district must be led by passionate and effective teachers , principals , and superintendents . This requires Tennessee to better recruit , develop , and retain high-quality talent . These great people , in turn , need to feel equipped and empowered to engage with their communities to advocate for what they need to drive student success .
INSISTING ON HIGH EXPECTATIONS . Rigorous standards aligned to quality assessments set the clear expectation that all Tennessee students are capable of learning at high levels of achievement . High expectations set the foundation for all the progress we can make as a state .
FOSTERING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION . A culture of innovation must extend from the system level through each school and classroom . The policies and resources that govern schools must create an environment where innovation can thrive . Educators must seek new ideas and embrace successful models wherever they are found .
This section highlights key work that has happened in each of these three areas over the past year , setting a foundation for the priorities Tennessee must focus on in the year ahead .
PG . 29