Policy Memos

Taking Note

These policy memos examine key education reform ideas in Tennessee.

Using Technology to Transform Education March 2013

Teacher Licensure in Tennessee Tennessee Framework, Recent Progress, and Future Opportunities November 2012

TVAAS An Introduction to Value-Added in Tennessee June 2012

	Tennessee’s No Child Left Behind Waiver (138 KB pdf) A State-Specific Approach to Accountability May 2012
	Common Core State Standards (347 KB pdf) Better Preparing Tennessee’s Students for College and Career May 2012
	Superintendent Selection in Tennessee (331 KB pdf) The Case for Appointed District Leaders February 2012
	Improving Teacher Effectiveness (201 KB pdf) Tennessee’s Recent Progress and Future Opportunities February 2011

	Education 101 (191 KB pdf) An Overview of Recent Education Reforms in Tennessee January 2011
	Tennessee’s Academic Standards (169 KB pdf) A Brief History and the Challenges Ahead January 2011

Race to the Top 101

Below is a pair of memos outlining how Tennessee won the national Race to the Top competition and analyzing how school districts plan on spending their share of Race to the Top funds.

	Race to the Top Scopes of Work (444 KB pdf) An Analysis of Tennessee Districts’ Plans for Using Local Race to the Top Funds September 2010
	Race to the Top 101 (676 KB pdf) How Tennessee Won the National Competition and What Happens Next August 2010

Lessons Learned – The First 100 Days

Below is a series of memos outlining lessons learned from “The First 100 Days” of Race to the Top implementation in Delaware and Tennessee.

	Executive Summary: The First Hundred Days This memo outlines the four primary tasks that Delaware and Tennessee undertook in the first 100 days of Race to the Top implementation.
	Project Management: Lessons from Delaware and Tennessee This memo describes how Delaware and Tennessee have built both short-term and long-term Race to the Top implementation capacity and lessons learned from these experiences.
	Scopes of Work: Lessons from Delaware and Tennessee This memo describes the scope of work process in both Delaware and Tennessee and lessons learned from these experiences.
	Stakeholder Engagement: Lessons from Tennessee This memo outlines a framework for thinking about Race to the Top stakeholder engagement. The memo highlights Tennessee’s communication efforts and lessons learned from these efforts.