Lawmakers opt to study Tennessee’s testing and accountability system instead of weakening it

Student taking a multiple-choice test (Photo by Andy Barbour/Pexels)

Members of the Tennessee Senate voted unanimously Thursday to approve legislation that will set up a system to study how the state tests its students and holds its teachers accountable.

If approved by the Tennessee House next week, the bill will create a ten-member advisory committee appointed by state leaders to not only study the state’s testing and teacher evaluation systems, but also the academic requirements for career and technical education (CTE) students, whether schools should have a minimum number of required instructional hours, and the licensure requirements for teachers. That committee would begin meeting later this year and issue a report by the end of December.

Senator Adam Lowe (Photo by the Tennessee General Assembly)

Bill sponsor Senator Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, said the legislation is a “long-awaited conclusion” to a dialogue between the Senate and House.

“This is an effort to bring you the best information that we can about what we often hear from our schools on the ground. We’ve all had the anecdotes and stories but now it’s time to get the data and we’re gonna do that for you,” said Lowe.

The legislation began the year in a much different posture in the House. That chamber initially proposed widespread reductions to the state’s testing and teacher evaluation system, then modified the bill to only reduce testing for high school students.

Representative Mark Cochran, R-Englewood, changed course last week and aligned with the Senate plan. Cochran has said throughout the session that he believes testing should align more with the ACT test than state standards, as the existing testing system does.

“We’ve reached a point of diminishing returns on testing in this state, and it needs to be re-evaluated very quickly,” said Cochran in a House subcommittee last week.

Studies have found Tennessee’s assessment and accountability system has played a valuable role in helping improve student performance and polling has found strong support from parents. 

Members of the State House are expected to vote on the bill next week.