Tennessee Education Stakeholders to Inform State Plan, Policies to Transition to New Federal Law

Wednesday, June 29, 2016 | 02:30pm

NASHVILLE – A diverse set of education stakeholders will inform the new state plan and collaborate to ensure that Tennessee’s key education policies are best for Tennessee students, the Tennessee Department of Education announced today. This work will build on the department’s strategic plan, called Tennessee Succeeds, which outlines the priorities and strategies the department is undertaking to ensure that every child is successfully able to pursue his or her chosen path in life after high school.

To strengthen that vision, several district leaders and teachers from the education community, as well as other civil rights and advocacy groups, will help to form the transition plan for the new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). While most of Tennessee’s existing laws and practices are already in line with what is required under ESSA, the new law provides the department an opportunity to engage with Tennessee’s education community on specific state and local policies to ensure that every child has the opportunity to receive a world-class education.

“Tennessee’s schools and students have made tremendous strides over the past few years to become the fastest improving state in the nation,” Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said. “We want to build on this progress while continuously looking for opportunities to improve. We believe bringing a broad set of perspectives into that conversation—and ultimately keeping students at the center of every decision—will help us refine and capitalize on what is working. We’re grateful for the role these stakeholders will serve in building on our solid foundation and helping to achieve our shared vision and goals for students’ success.”

As part of today’s announcement, the department established six working groups that will focus on the state’s key policies in specific areas: standards and assessment, accountability, support for English learners, educator support and effectiveness, school improvement, and student support. Each working group will be led by two senior state education officials and consist of roughly 10 leaders from different education communities and school districts. The full list is below. Working groups begin meeting in early July and will continue to work through the summer to provide input on the ESSA transition plan. Additionally, members of the working groups are encouraged to collaborate within their individual communities to get additional feedback and ideas.

Last month, the Tennessee Department of Education launched a new listening tour to gather feedback from educators and stakeholders across the state related to key components of ESSA, as well as a website where the public can provide input. As part of that listening tour, the department will hear from teachers and principals, district officials, parents, students, members of the business community, civil rights and student advocates, organizations that support English learners, foundations, and community organizations, among others. Feedback will be given to the working groups to help draft the plan.

This fall, the department will share the draft of the ESSA transition plan for further public feedback, and the plan will be finalized and sent to the U.S. Department of Education next spring for approval. All provisions of ESSA will go into effect in August 2017. The department will continue to work with the State Board of Education and the Tennessee General Assembly to implement the new law. ESSA replaces the previous federal education law, commonly referred to as No Child Left Behind. Tennessee has had a waiver from No Child Left Behind since 2012, which better enabled the state to make local decisions for Tennessee’s schools and students.

List of working group leads and members:

Standards and Assessment

State leads:

  • Laura Encalade, Director of Policy and Research, State Board of Education
  • Nate Schwartz, Chief Research and Strategy Officer, Tennessee Department of Education

Working group members:

  • Tracey Beckendorf-Edou, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, Oak Ridge Schools
  • Michael Cohen, President, Achieve
  • Patricia Griggs-Merriweather, Principal, Sheffield Elementary, Shelby County Schools
  • Brad Leon, Chief of Strategy and Innovation, Shelby County Schools
  • Cindy Massaro, Parent, Rutherford County Schools
  • Mary Cypress Metz, Chief of Staff, State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE)
  • Philip Oldham, President, Tennessee Technological University
  • Eddie Pruett, Director of Schools, Gibson County Special School District
  • Robert Sharpe, Assistant Superintendent, Hamilton County Schools
  • Cathy Whitehead, Third Grade Teacher and 2015-16 Tennessee Teacher of the Year, West Chester Elementary School, Chester County School System
  • Maria Zapata, Family Engagement Manager, Conexión Américas

 

Accountability

State leads:

  • Mary Batiwalla, Executive Director of Accountability, Tennessee Department of Education 
  • Nakia Towns, Assistant Commissioner of Data and Research, Tennessee Department of Education

Working group members:

  • Lyle Ailshie, Director of Schools, Kingsport City Schools
  • Ashley Aldridge, Principal, Jack Anderson Elementary School, Sumner County Schools
  • Dawn Bradley, Special Education Supervisor, Wilson County Schools
  • Maya Bugg, Chief Executive Officer, Tennessee Charter School Center
  • Karla Coleman Garcia, Policy Manager, Conexión Américas
  • Corey Kelly, Principal, Sherwood Middle School, Shelby County Schools
  • Shawn Kimble, Director of Schools, Lauderdale County Department of Education
  • Phyllis Nichols, President and Chief Executive Officer, Knoxville Area Urban League
  • Sharon Roberts, Chief Strategy Officer, State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE)
  • Clint Sattler, Supervisor of Research and Evaluation, Knox County Schools
  • Ronald Woodard, Principal, Maplewood High School, Metro Nashville Public Schools
  • Daniel Zavala, State Policy Director, StudentsFirst Tennessee

 

Support for English Learners

State leads:

  • Jan Lanier, Director of English Learner, Immigrant, and Migrant Programs, Tennessee Department of Education
  • Joann Runion, Coordinator of English Learner Instruction and Intervention, Tennessee Department of Education 

Working group members:

  • Eben Cathey, Advocacy Director, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC)
  • Laura Delgado, Program Director for Increasing Teacher Diversity, Lipscomb University
  • Nona Hall, Title III Director, Rutherford County Schools
  • Dale Lynch, Director of Schools, Hamblen County Department of Education
  • Gini Pupo-Walker, Senior Director of Education Policy and Strategic Growth, Conexión Américas
  • Angela Rood, ESL Teacher and Interventionist, Dyersburg City Schools and Board Member for Tennessee Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages (TNTESOL)
  • Sarah Sandefur, Associate Professor in the School of Education, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
  • Dana Siegel, ESL Teacher, Sycamore Elementary School, Collierville Schools
  • Samantha Singer, English Teacher and Chair of the English Department, John Overton High School, Metro Nashville Public Schools
  • Kevin Stacy, Executive Director of the Office of English Learners, Metro Nashville Public Schools

 

Educator Support and Effectiveness

State leads:

  • Paul Fleming, Assistant Commissioner of Teachers and Leaders, Tennessee Department of Education
  • Sylvia Flowers, Executive Director of Educator Talent, Tennessee Department of Education

Working group members:

  • Kasar Abdulla, Director of Community Relations, Valor Collegiate Academies, Metro Nashville Public Schools
  • Robert Blair, President, Greater Nashville Alliance of Black School Educators
  • Bethany Bowman, Director of Professional Learning, Professional Educators of Tennessee
  • Tim Haney, Principal, Peabody High School, Trenton Special School District
  • Mark Hogan, Professor and Education Department Chair, Belmont University 
  • Jeanine Johnson, Chief Human Resources Officer, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System
  • Chris Marczak, Director of Schools, Maury County Public Schools
  • Bill O’Donnell, Coordinator of Instructional Advocacy, Tennessee Education Association
  • Heidi Ramirez, Chief Academic Officer, Shelby County Schools
  • Shannon Streett, Sixth Grade English and Science Teacher, Woodbury Grammar School, Cannon County School District
  • Mike Winstead, Director of Schools, Maryville City Schools

 

School Improvement

State leads:

  • Malika Anderson, Superintendent, Achievement School District
  • Rita Fentress, Director of School Improvement, Tennessee Department of Education

Working group members:

  • Tait Danhausen, School Director, Cameron College Prep, Metro Nashville Public Schools
  • Sharon Griffin, iZone Regional Superintendent, Shelby County Schools
  • Joey Hassell, Principal, Ripley High School, Lauderdale County Department of Education
  • Shannon Jackson, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Knox County Schools
  • Beverly Miller, Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction 9-12, Maury County Public Schools
  • Cardell Orrin, Memphis City Director, Stand for Children
  • Elaine Swafford, Executive Director, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy
  • Greg Thompson, Program Officer, The Pyramid Peak Foundation
  • Cindy White, Principal, Vine Middle Magnet School, Knox County Schools
  • Clarissa Zellars, Director of School Improvement Strategy, Metro Nashville Public Schools

 

Student Support

State leads:

  • Mike Herrmann, Executive Director of Conditions for Learning, Tennessee Department of Education
  • Danielle Mezera, Assistant Commissioner for College, Career, and Technical Education, Department of Education

Working group members:

  • Brian Bass, Principal, Renaissance High School, Williamson County Schools
  • Laura Brimm, Principal, Dyer County High School, Dyer County Schools
  • Nicole Cobb, Executive Director of School Counseling, Metro Nashville Public Schools
  • Nancy Dishner, President and Chief Executive Officer, Niswonger Foundation
  • Kelly Drummond, Chief Administrative and Human Resources Officer, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley
  • Elaine Jackson, Coordinated School Health Director, Stewart County Schools
  • Troy Kilzer II, Director of Schools, Chester County School System
  • Theresa Nixon, Director of Instructional Technology, Knox County Schools
  • Greg Wallace, Supervisor of Safety and Mental Health, Johnson City Schools

For more information, contact Ashley Ball at (615) 532-6260 or Ashley.M.Ball@tn.gov.