[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6496654,"mediaKeyId","5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d","parentId",5590324,"title","State Board debate opens on whether world language should remain a graduation requirement","audioSeconds",3294,"startMs",11568726,"endMs",14863319,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d&start=11568&end=14863","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d/thumbnail_11568726.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6496654/Tennessee/State-Board-debate-opens-on-whether-world-language-should-remain-a-graduation-requirement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496654-630d725b4b538b53320559c3f3b48f1e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770857571&Signature=NmoaV2v-ZriiLBVwbf~MwIgZdc0CQjPpzn1eoP0s08-6FcJP09cG43eiQdeTVZozQjR0a5jIbQKhH2xrDmUbL7Z-4Fg1Zqq5wtpm3HD9ah2Gt4ZkyXJP377Huvt087tfsKufNQBEa7GgkAI3qqHjns32Nm-A64~IoeP~vvWCTkj0Rmtyp5u9B9pv3kO6K3GPLVqkHAeYBDfaeZG52MUA~B8GcKrZndbQiOzqaOw2TTwtw9Cc6mgFCYs~Gwv4P7dM~zAx4rMQJ8txk769kp-0Zn~fFFG-VAZzzG1nqHgbk6BgeLyNxHeJUuaXzr23IbPSU~eC1lhMRwYUz88v3NOP8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State Board of Education","date","2025-08-15T18:33:31Z","article","State Board Chairman Ali Eby opened a discussion on whether Tennessee should keep a two‑credit world language (or fine arts) graduation requirement, telling members he is exploring options to give students more flexible, career‑oriented choices tied to postsecondary success.

Eby said his intent is to expand student choice, not to reduce total required credits for graduation. He asked the board to consider pathways that would allow students to meet the requirement with world language, career and technical education (CTE), dual enrollment, fine arts or other electives aligned with a student’s postsecondary plan. “My purpose is about choice,” Eby said. He asked staff and members to research how the change would affect college admissions and student outcomes.

Board members expressed differing views. Miss Maxwell and Dr. Gentile urged caution but supported standardizing and simplifying the waiver process so families and students know options and consequences. Maxwell said the waiver language should be consistent across districts and not say a student “will not go to college.” Mr. Holt and others said world language provides cognitive and cultural benefits and worried that removing the requirement could reduce access in some districts where local incentives now preserve language offerings. Mr. Molineux and others urged the board to consider the economic realities of families: roughly a third to half of Tennessee households face financial constraints that could make immediate workforce entry more likely than four‑year college attendance.

Several board members said the counseling process must be stronger and earlier—beginning in middle school—to ensure students choose courses aligned with postsecondary goals. Department staff and higher‑education presenters at the same workshop had recommended moving some advising and planning earlier and strengthening connections between high‑school coursework, dual enrollment and workforce pathways.

Members also asked for data. Eby cited preliminary checks showing 26 states have no world‑language graduation requirement and that many states that do have alternatives such as CTE or fine‑arts options. Board members asked staff to return with standardized waiver language, data on how waivers are used across districts, the relationship between high‑school course patterns and college admission/selection, and supply‑side considerations (how many teachers districts can hire for world languages versus other electives).

Eby closed by urging further research and stakeholder engagement; he said the board will consider proposals after additional information is collected.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","August 14, 2025 SBE Workshop","oneSentenceSummary","Board members debated a proposal from Chairman Ali Eby to reconsider Tennessee’s requirement that students earn two credits in a world language or fine arts; discussion centered on student choice, equity, counselor advising, rural staffing and the existing waiver process.","taxTitle","State Board of Education, Deparments in Office of the Governor, Organizations, Executive, Tennessee","taxId",36988,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6496659,"State Board takes on new charter school responsibilities after law change; staff to publish updated application and performance frameworks",1199,9957074,11156074,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d&start=9957&end=11156","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d/thumbnail_9957074.jpg","/articles/6496659/Tennessee/State-Board-takes-on-new-charter-school-responsibilities-after-law-change-staff-to-publish-updated-application-and-performance-frameworks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496659-6267949a07c05dc4c1de4e5a530bbdcf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770822667&Signature=K2luaeqxu7znEERJ9FDDjHuUJNNML9gquyjwKDe2gYLMH~Okiaa8IFZZISlSMLXYTRVRnhNF7YSFJpeGEYm4wQDL-Zb0~59FJX~EeK~VDKO3c2SAy3nFdOFxGpznE3VazMabqyvgStAJzKuTJStzYFUauBo3w9tEi72AK3L7lEwqm8ZSiZhJNB4DbdquSPty5BCqn~eyidt6~5mWnt4UNRbXIwqRee8Ef8XZTYPm9Iw7F995HKabY-XN5kyetMEDgR-U1d~SMrbIklOMEO~h6VsjwrVaBh73eTNFuudSKP39-qyhHBaSAfzcKuVJYDRT98mgmAswJMsJuhFAbHspxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","After the 2025 legislative changes, staff advised the State Board of Education that the board will assume ownership of several charter‑authorization documents and that the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission now has additional, limited authority to accept applications directly in specified circumstances.

Ally Reid, the board’s director for engagement and accountability, briefed members on Public Chapter 275 and its effects. Reid said the law (effective July 1) creates a defined replication pathway—allowing a governing body that already operates a charter model to apply to replicate that model elsewhere—and permits certain sponsors to apply directly to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission rather than a local authorizer. Reid described a statutory trigger that allows a sponsor to apply to the commission in an LEA where the commission has overturned three local denials in a three‑year span; the direct path is available for five years following the trigger. Reid also noted that public institutions of higher education seeking to open charter schools may apply directly to the commission.

Reid said the board has taken ownership of several foundational materials formerly managed by the Department of Education and is updating them: the charter application and scoring rubric, the model performance framework (last updated in 2018), and related guidance. The stated aims are to streamline the application, reduce administrative burden, improve scoring clarity to reduce subjectivity and provide consistent expectations for authorizers and applicants. Reid said the majority of rebranded documents went live on the board’s website July 1 and that the updated application and both the standard and opportunity‑school performance frameworks will be released soon along with training for authorizers and applicants.

Board members asked whether the changes would increase applications and whether authorizing quality would improve. Reid said the goal is stronger, higher‑quality applications rather than volume alone, and staff will continue authorizer evaluation and monitoring. Reid described the appellate process: when the commission overturns a local denial, the local board has 30 days to consider authorizing the school; if it declines, the commission becomes the authorizer.

Reid asked board members to expect training and outreach to support consistent document use by applicants and authorizers and to plan to adopt the updated performance frameworks.","Following a 2025 law, the State Board is now responsible for some charter‑authorization documents. Staff briefed the board on new pathways to apply directly to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, replication rules and planned updates to the model charter application and performance frameworks.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6496664,"THEC outlines 10‑year master plan and publishes college‑going report showing 56% immediate postsecondary enrollment for 2024 class",3208,6685815,9894395,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d&start=6685&end=9894","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d/thumbnail_6685815.jpg","/articles/6496664/Tennessee/THEC-outlines-10year-master-plan-and-publishes-collegegoing-report-showing-56-immediate-postsecondary-enrollment-for-2024-class","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496664-8d48abf59286b722c4691548d29abffb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770857571&Signature=oKx7st6IePPrbwUfypUJRkLvI0uv4Q~hA9z5~Xzr0lHZCLSj8F9MY6u0cHHJbuASmxPhtQqUFMA7ezBGoNqybfVRigB~gT2UQ7PLDoUOQkYqjHCgFWdlbuK6LiC6ECbRJJzrtZJXn03o860PLQVqBLNXwhrsnF4tF4tLTXK6BydSXPnnjDMFSJwMpaQTkwQlxUjLh-7Y43uWh6Nx3tlhDXhP4p-ucmbCUrw9u0254-q2imPFwscBkfF1gzeeN2WA0c0Xm-9c6kETZFr-sf-RBpQ-rjJTnA9Q8mqTK~hg7EOr0-0zXvXpaCD8ruv3~oIxh-YFP95hhxAAiq1hTHk9sQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) presented an outline of its forthcoming 10‑year master plan and released a new college‑going report with data for the Class of 2024, including subgroup disparities and demographic projections.

THEC’s Steven Gentile told the State Board the master plan is statutorily required and the commission has engaged presidents, trustees, legislative leaders and stakeholders; THEC staff said the plan will emphasize three cornerstones—alignment (linking K–12, higher education and workforce), achievability (access, affordability and student supports) and agility (data, coordination and responsiveness to changing needs). Gentile said the plan will be finalized for commission approval in November and that THEC hopes to set a North Star goal extending to 2040.

As part of THEC’s session, Paige Elliott presented the newly released Tennessee College Going Report (class of 2024). Elliott said the report measures seamless enrollment by public high‑school graduates in the summer or fall after graduation and found the state’s college‑going rate for that cohort was 56%, down slightly year over year but representing 36,610 students enrolling because the graduating class was larger. THEC noted persistent gaps by subgroup: economically disadvantaged students enrolled at a rate of 38.7%, and the gap between white and Hispanic students widened to 23.1 percentage points for the class of 2024. Elliott pointed to WICHE projections that Tennessee will be insulated from the nationwide “enrollment cliff,” with an estimated 15% increase in high‑school graduates by 2041.

Board members asked about persistence and completion. Elliott said THEC tracks first‑time, full‑time four‑year graduation rates and that about half of first‑time full‑time students at public universities complete within four years, with variation by institution. THEC also flagged an ongoing project to identify adult learners close to completion and to design supports to help them finish degrees or credentials.

Gentile and Amanda Clefane (THEC chief strategy officer) describeddraft master‑plan strategies including recognition of prior learning, dual enrollment coordination, and skills inventories to communicate student learning to employers. THEC said additional stakeholder review (trustees, statutory committee, campuses) will continue this fall and the commission plans broad dissemination once the plan is finalized.","Tennessee Higher Education Commission staff presented a 10‑year master‑plan outline focused on alignment, access and agility, and released a college‑going report showing the Class of 2024 college‑going rate was 56% with notable disparities by subgroup; WICHE projects Tennessee will see a 15% increase in high‑school graduates by 2041.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6496668,"SCORE unveils Tennessee 2030 goals: measurable targets for reading, math and postsecondary pathways",808,3857095,4665360,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d&start=3857&end=4665","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d/thumbnail_3857095.jpg","/articles/6496668/Tennessee/SCORE-unveils-Tennessee-2030-goals-measurable-targets-for-reading-math-and-postsecondary-pathways","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496668-fc841bd6626b82df0bd6ebb086f5b73a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770857571&Signature=j7Xk0vZuEBgIZGR0ZSmIbWBr1lB83R2c8anJlWLWrdHWlpB2tkzlsKeZz3OGj4foczgk5LNi7Pj9wk7pvkPvpIjepBQh5MZuo02suTZLJpoKId7wiAvtfNeVqcFJxFQdtlh9e-28bIv3M2LzqzFg3opgWQZe~SzGxhrX~loAS~7OVJTkybD14eSVTXdjIgyE2lZjEAz7n31feD5hHD-Ias4Ipwkp54J-g3MtYotY1qkSlEbBoYshlD~1sxXMx-UNMNcYh~U-7wWfKBZqMNBrL-lIOoTmE~NkzxwUJRh7KuA7gcrT9AI2rpWFa5mM-uQEVodV0~oftADCdGK1lyN~Kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","SCORE, a Tennessee education nonprofit, presented Tennessee 2030, a coalition‑based set of data‑driven goals that would chart statewide targets for student outcomes through 2030 and align K–12, higher education and community partners.

Courtney Veil of SCORE described the initiative to the State Board of Education as an effort to set “ambitious goals across different sectors” and to link a longitudinal set of metrics—early reading, seventh‑grade math, on‑time postsecondary college‑going and completion—so partners can focus interventions that match their role in the pipeline.

Veil said SCORE worked with stakeholders and anchored goals on a simple projection: if every classroom in Tennessee added one more student meeting a target each year, the state could reach “71% proficiency in ELA by 2030,” 58% proficiency in seventh‑grade math, a 77% college‑going rate and a 64% postsecondary completion rate—with a target that 75% of credentials be “high value” on SCORE’s impact‑credential framework. The coalition has begun recruiting district and higher‑education partners and plans local dashboards, Veil said, to translate statewide targets into district‑level growth projections.

Veil emphasized the coalition model—SCORE will convene partners, spotlight bright spots and share strategies—and said THEC, TDOE and other agencies were supporting data cuts for local dashboards. “What if instead of losing hope when a district loses ground, we rallied around them to ensure they got back on that ambitious pace?” Veil asked, summarizing the project’s approach to local variation.

Board members asked how SCORE would move from goals to practice. Veil said the organization will push evidence‑based strategies—high‑quality instructional materials, systemic phonics, high‑dosage tutoring and supports for career pathways—and offer data services and peer learning to districts. Several members suggested the State Board coordinate its strategic planning with Tennessee 2030 so statewide plans align. Veil said roughly 50 districts and institutions had signed on as partners and SCORE will publish local dashboards later in the year.

SCORE’s presentation framed Tennessee 2030 as a coalition tool: set statewide, measurable targets; provide district‑level paths to reach them; and convene partners to share practices that raise outcomes collectively.","SCORE presented a coalition plan called Tennessee 2030 that sets statewide, data‑driven targets—including 71% third‑grade ELA proficiency and a 77% college‑going rate by 2030—built on the premise of improving outcomes by roughly 'one more student per classroom' each year.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6496673,"State Board hears 2024–25 TCAP results showing statewide gains, notable middle-school improvements",2747,216345,2963940,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d&start=216&end=2963","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590324-445e7ce606191bace54f049fa6902f9d/thumbnail_216345.jpg","/articles/6496673/Tennessee/State-Board-hears-202425-TCAP-results-showing-statewide-gains-notable-middle-school-improvements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496673-c211b3fce39a7e58e334bcdf0ec0a1cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770857571&Signature=WvmTDFHd7eM9AXviNyTWpTGWpF3-90M8csKOl4tcu7WAXYXHMAzgDBDhav3pU2~E7kPDADCwLCpil9izB5oGpHv9lhCwGH7FAkxfH5hxK-WOWUQPRD8syEn-QuxMZ38L08veGzVk0AOx1GXr3rdhyj5~-wjhiLFs755wdMBGZVE4j4diQrNHxVL468Jwvp~KgVa-JO9wnXb8sUKK~TIYTwANRTG3bybbOKM2QKFC3YwAKlsYkkyFDDW1NHO7ntMFkYCE7d0weaS5jOPFTOvb3dCiVQkfb-XpgAd1dnUTEOXRWs2~tlBbx~SAeQK0FrtVluU7fzhOoFN8QXUFhdujUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee Department of Education reported year‑over‑year gains across the 2024–25 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP), with officials telling the State Board of Education that most tests in the 33‑measure portfolio improved and that middle‑school scores showed particular progress.

Department officials said the results matter because they suggest early‑grade gains are persisting into upper elementary and middle grades. “We now see significant performance improvement. Some of the biggest gains that we see are in sixth grade this year,” David Laird, assistant commissioner for assessment, accountability and research, said during the July workshop.

Laird told board members the department tracked 33 data points across four subjects and up to 10 testable grades and described administration of TCAP as “an incredibly large endeavor.” He said English language arts (ELA) statewide proficiency reached 40.9% this year, a year‑to‑year increase of nearly 2 percentage points and an 11.3‑point gain since 2021. Justin Keeney, a department data analyst, reported math proficiency rose to 39.1% (a 2.4‑point increase year over year) and said elementary and middle grades showed steady gains.

The department emphasized caveats when comparing years: standards revisions require test redesigns for some courses. Laird noted that high‑school math standards changed for 2024, producing a different test and complicating direct year‑to‑year comparisons for those courses. “If you compare ’23 performance to ’24 performance, you’re truly comparing the performance of two different tests,” he said.

Board members asked about causes and durability of the improvements. Several, including Dr. Morrison and Miss Maxwell, connected the upward movement in early grades to sustained investment in early‑literacy programs, professional development and standards‑aligned instructional materials. Christy Brown of the department said districts are pursuing networks and professional learning focused on adolescent literacy to support students as they enter middle school. Laird and Keeney cautioned that cohort‑level tracking (following the same students over time) would be a more definitive way to judge whether early‑grade gains produce longer‑term effects, and the department said it plans further analysis.

Keeney highlighted subgroup gaps that persist: economically disadvantaged students, English learners and students with disabilities continue to trail statewide proficiency rates (the department reported ELA proficiency of 23.8% for economically disadvantaged students, 17.5% for English learners and 9.6% for students with disabilities). Board members and staff discussed how district‑level variations, staffing, and counseling/connective supports may affect whether gains are broadly shared.

Department officials closed by noting science assessments will undergo standards and assessment redesign next summer, which will delay some score reporting while new tests are developed. The department asked board members to observe standard‑setting work and said it would continue to release technical documentation to support interpretation of trends.

Board response and next steps: members praised departmental work and the clarity of documentation, urged continued cohort analysis and called for more localized breakdowns (by district and by locale) so trustees and superintendents can target supports. The department said district‑level and locale disaggregations are available on its assessment dashboard and that it will continue outreach to interpret results for local leaders.","Department of Education officials told the State Board of Education that 2024–25 TCAP results were broadly positive: 33 tests tracked across grades showed gains in most subjects, statewide ELA proficiency rose to 40.9%, and the department flagged unusually strong improvement in sixth-grade performance.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

State Board debate opens on whether world language should remain a graduation requirement

State Board takes on new charter school responsibilities after law change; staff to publish updated application and performance frameworks

THEC outlines 10‑year master plan and publishes college‑going report showing 56% immediate postsecondary enrollment for 2024 class

SCORE unveils Tennessee 2030 goals: measurable targets for reading, math and postsecondary pathways

State Board hears 2024–25 TCAP results showing statewide gains, notable middle-school improvements