Commentary: SCORE identifies 2023 education priorities for Tennessee

This story was produced by the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE).

For more than a decade, Tennessee has been on a journey to improve public education and workforce opportunities for all Tennesseans. Working together, we have made significant progress. However, as we head into 2023, our journey continues to improve K-12 and higher education outcomes and build stronger bridges between our education system and our state’s workforce. Tennessee’s economy is thriving, with businesses growing and job opportunities coming to our state daily, but many Tennesseans still lack the skills, education, and training required to turn these opportunities into careers.

Tennessee and our nation faced an unprecedented health and education crisis over the last few years. We saw significant disruptions to learning and a decline in the number of high school graduates going to college — especially among economically disadvantaged students and students of color.

We are resolved that much more work must be done to ensure that every Tennessee student can be set on a stronger path forward, building on our state’s strong foundation. That is why we’re sharing these 2023 policy priorities with you. Over the next year, our advocacy and focus will center on goals to:

• Advance High-Quality Instruction For Every Student
• Address Tennessee’s College-Going Decline With Urgency
• Prepare All Tennessee Students For Work

To advance high-quality instruction for every student, Tennessee should implement research-supported policies like high-dosage tutoring, create a scholarship to bolster the teacher pipeline, and bolster support for high-quality public charter schools. These solutions have the potential to positively transform K-12 education and close longstanding opportunity gaps between student groups.

Tennessee has experienced a concerning decline in the number of high school students enrolling in college. Most jobs in our state require training beyond a high school diploma, so we must build momentum for going to college, make financial aid opportunities more accessible, and bridge the gap between K-12 and higher education through stronger and more widespread summer transition programs.

During this period of economic growth and job opportunity, too few Tennesseans have the postsecondary training required to enter and thrive in careers. To address this gap, state policymakers need better and more coordinated education and workforce data to drive decision-making and to inform investments, particularly those that will increase postsecondary attainment and labor-force participation in high-wage, high-demand fields. We hope you will read and consider these recommendations — and then join us in charting a stronger path forward so that all Tennessee students can succeed in school, college, career, and life.

Download the report.