Taylor Reed, senior director of licensure at the Tennessee Department of Education, presented the Tennessee Early Literacy Assessment (TELA) report. Reed said TELA, launched in 2023 as a 25‑item assessment aligned with the Literacy Success Act, is a pathway for educators to meet literacy training requirements and not a substitute for licensure exams.

Reed reported that more than 11,000 educators have completed TELA and that overall first‑time pass rates declined from 40.2% in year one to 35% in year two. "For overall pass rate for year 2 was 35 percent, down from the 40.2 percent in year 1," Reed told the board. Tennessee teacher candidates had a higher first‑time pass rate (43%), and pass rates varied across educator preparation providers (Tusculum University reported a 61% first‑time pass rate among providers with 10+ test takers).

Board members pressed Reed on the implications. Chairman Eady and others noted that licensure ultimately requires passing the qualifying measures for a license and asked the department whether it has a target for first‑time pass rates and what supports are in place for programs with low pass rates. Reed said candidates have multiple attempts and that the department will convene EPPs with lower performance to identify supports and areas for improvement.

The board did not take formal action on TELA during the meeting but directed staff to continue monitoring participation and performance and to work with educator preparation providers to improve outcomes and reporting.

What’s next: board members asked staff to provide clearer goals and to track pass‑rate trends as assessment options expand (for example, with the addition of NES assessment titles).