As states are continuing to refine teacher evaluation models, there are opportunities for student learning in the arts to be documented and connected with teacher evaluation. The Tennessee Portfolio of Student Growth in the Arts ("the Portfolio") has provided a new perspective on documenting the relationship between student growth and…

The book analyses and evaluates several key community college reform programs that emerged after the Recession of 2008 and as a result of major initiatives in California, New York, Tennessee, Florida, Connecticut and Wisconsin. Because of the economic downturn in the early 21st Century, an already eroding financial base for public higher education…

While most teachers in Tennessee remain in their positions for many years, it is also the case that some of the most effective teachers depart each year, either to go teach in a different school, a different district, or sometimes to leave the profession entirely. Not all of these moves are avoidable, but finding ways to retain as many high…

Discusses how issues involved in establishing the type of master teacher evaluation system called for in Tennessee's Comprehensive Education Reform Act apply to reading specialists: arbitrary selection of measures and criteria for assessing teacher effectiveness; utilization of alternative approaches including self-, student, and observer…

Peer evaluators and multiple data sources are effective elements of Tennessee's career ladder system, but the assessment of teaching remains far from simple. (Author/TE)

The paper addresses issues concerned with increasing state interest in encouraging public institutions of higher education to demonstrate educational quality through outcomes assessment and reports on the development and implementation of Tennessee's program of performance funding. Emphasis is on guidelines contained within a 5-year performance…

A mediated peer coaching program implemented in rural Middle Tennessee in 1984-85 was designed to improve classroom instruction within the constraints imposed by poor, rural schools. Participants were 35 teachers in 9 rural schools, each assigned to a peer coaching team consisting of teachers in the same school but with different grade and/or…

A study was done of the possible uses of Total Quality Management (TQM) for enhancing the quality and use of college outcomes assessment in postsecondary institutions in Tennessee. The study involved six meetings of a consortium of assessment coordinators in Tennessee over 3 years, and graduate and employer questionnaire development. Researchers…

Performance indicators used for state funding, past and present, of public colleges in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington are reviewed to explore their intent and implications and to provide information for policymakers considering introducing or revising…

Analyzes nature and effects of public-management evaluation concepts on institutions of higher education, using as an example Tennessee's policy of monitoring performance of its institutions by linking performance indicators to public funding. Concludes that while policy has been successful overall, allowing a "firewall" between…

The Career Ladder Program, one aspect of Tennessee's Better Schools Program, includes a career ladder for all school personnel, substantial incentive pay for performance and responsibility, competency-based performance evaluation for all school personnel, professional development programs addressing needs identified in evaluation, and new…

Provides background, including Tennessee Education Association involvement, and current status of Tennessee's Comprehensive Education Reform Act. Summarizes national career ladder plans. Identifies key issues: fair evaluation of teachers by statewide process; appropriate state and local roles for teacher evaluation and employment; workability of…

Explains provisions of the career ladder section of Tennessee's Comprehensive Education Reform Act including teacher levels, implementation, certification, evaluation procedures, involvement of the Tennessee Education Association, and rationale of legislators sponsoring this education reform package. (NEC)

Profiles of the 14 states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) provide information on the structure of these states for public postsecondary education and budgeting. For each state, the following areas are discussed: state-level coordinating and/or governing agency, institutional governing boards, state board for vocational education,…

This paper reports on research that examined longitudinal data on students entering Tennessee Board of Regents institutions of higher education after the implementation of a state-mandated developmental studies program. The program identifies and helps at-risk students to persist in college to graduation. Data analysis is presented from a 1986…