Annual Joint Report on Pre-Kindergarten through Higher Education in Tennessee, 2008

Overview & Synopsis

This 2008 Annual Joint Report of the State Board of Education and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission identifies four joint priorities and nine associated goals addressing areas of need in both student learning and educator development for the advancement of education in Tennessee. The joint priorities and initiatives focus on points of connection between pre-kindergarten through grade 12 (P-12) and higher education that are essential to a unified system of education in the state. The four joint priorities include the following: (1) Student Learning: Pre-kindergarten through Higher Education (P-16); (2) Student Access and Transition; (3) Supply and Retention of Teachers; and (4) Teacher Development. To achieve these joint priorities, the Board and Commission have created nine supporting goals. Specifically, the goals for each priority are: Goals in Support of Priority 1: Student Learning: Pre-K through Higher Education (P-16)--(1) Strengthen connections between P-12 and higher education; (2) Prepare students to move successfully through each level of academic and workplace preparation; (3) Increase Tennessee educational attainment levels; Goals in Support of Priority 2: Student Access and Transition--(4) Increase access and participation at all levels of education; (5) Establish seamless transitions through all sectors and levels of education; Goals in Support of Priority 3: Supply and Retention of Teachers--(6) Increase the supply of teachers being prepared for needed areas; (7) Increase teacher retention; Goals in Support of Priority 4: Teacher Development--(8) Enhance teacher development related to instructional effectiveness; and (9) Increase the application of technology in support of teacher and administrator preparation and development. For each of the nine goals, the Board and Commission have worked cooperatively to identify indicators, performance targets, and baseline data that track the performance of P-16 education in Tennessee. Therefore, this document is not only a report, but also a master plan for action over the next 10 years. The report reaffirms the commitment by the Board and the Commission to develop an integrated, accountable, and competitive system of education in Tennessee. Appended are: (1) Tennessee High School Graduation Requirements; (2) Minimum High School Course Requirements for Regular Undergraduate Admission to Tennessee Public Higher Education Institutions; (3) Board of Education Performance Model; and (4) The 2005-10 Master Plan for Tennessee Higher Education: Creating Partnerships for a Better Tennessee.