An array of educators, researchers and advocates will help the State Department of Education plan for a new era in Tennessee education dictated by the new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
While most of Tennessee’s existing laws and practices are already in line with ESSA requirements, the law provides flexibility for the state to reinvent, or at least tweak, its education system. Department officials say they’re eager to take that opportunity.
“Tennessee’s schools and students have made tremendous strides over the past few years to become the fastest improving state in the nation,” Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said in a press release Wednesday announcing the list of stakeholders. “We believe bringing a broad set of perspectives into that conversation — and ultimately keeping students at the center of every decision — will help us refine and capitalize on what is working.”
The department established six working groups focusing on standards and assessment, accountability, support for English learners, educator support and effectiveness, school improvement, and student support.
Among group members from Shelby County Schools are Chief Academic Officer Heidi Ramirez and Innovation Zone leaders Brad Leon and Sharon Griffin. Achievement School District Superintendent Malika Anderson is also on the list.
In addition to feedback from the six new panels, the Tennessee Department of Education last month launched a new listening tour to gather feedback from educators across the state related to key components of ESSA, as well as a website where the public can provide input on the state’s new plan.
This department will share a draft of the ESSA transition plan for further public feedback in the fall, and finalize it next spring. All provisions of ESSA will go into effect in August 2017.
Here is the list of working group leads and members recruited:
Standards and Assessment
State leads:
- Laura Encalade, director of policy and research, State Board of Education
- Nate Schwartz, chief research and strategy officer, Tennessee Department of Education
Working group members:
- Tracey Beckendorf-Edou, executive director of teaching and learning, Oak Ridge Schools
- Michael Cohen, president, Achieve
- Patricia Griggs-Merriweather, principal, Sheffield Elementary, Shelby County Schools
- Brad Leon, chief of strategy and innovation, Shelby County Schools
- Cindy Massaro, parent, Rutherford County Schools
- Mary Cypress Metz, chief of staff, State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE)
- Philip Oldham, president, Tennessee Technological University
- Eddie Pruett, director of schools, Gibson County Special School District
- Robert Sharpe, assistant superintendent, Hamilton County Schools
- Cathy Whitehead, third-grade teacher and 2015-16 Tennessee Teacher of the Year, West Chester Elementary School, Chester County School System
- Maria Zapata, family engagement manager, Conexión Américas
Accountability
State leads:
- Mary Batiwalla, executive director of accountability, Tennessee Department of Education
- Nakia Towns, assistant commissioner of data and research, Tennessee Department of Education
Working group members:
- Lyle Ailshie, director of schools, Kingsport City Schools
- Ashley Aldridge, principal, Jack Anderson Elementary School, Sumner County Schools
- Dawn Bradley, special education supervisor, Wilson County Schools
- Maya Bugg, chief executive officer, Tennessee Charter School Center
- Karla Coleman Garcia, policy manager, Conexión Américas
- Corey Kelly, principal, Sherwood Middle School, Shelby County Schools
- Shawn Kimble, director of schools, Lauderdale County Department of Education
- Phyllis Nichols, president and chief executive officer, Knoxville Area Urban League
- Sharon Roberts, chief strategy fficer, State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE)
- Clint Sattler, supervisor of research and evaluation, Knox County Schools
- Ronald Woodard, principal, Maplewood High School, Metro Nashville Public Schools
- Daniel Zavala, state policy director, StudentsFirst Tennessee
Support for English Learners
State leads:
- Jan Lanier, director of English learner, immigrant, and migrant programs, Tennessee Department of Education
- Joann Runion, coordinator of English learner instruction and intervention, Tennessee Department of Education
Working group members:
- Eben Cathey, advocacy director, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC)
- Laura Delgado, program director for Increasing Teacher Diversity, Lipscomb University
- Nona Hall, Title III director, Rutherford County Schools
- Dale Lynch, director of schools, Hamblen County Department of Education
- Gini Pupo-Walker, senior director of education policy and strategic Growth, Conexión Américas
- Angela Rood, ESL teacher and interventionist, Dyersburg City Schools and Board Member for Tennessee Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages (TNTESOL)
- Sarah Sandefur, associate professor in the School of Education, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- Dana Siegel, ESL teacher, Sycamore Elementary School, Collierville Schools
- Samantha Singer, English teacher and chair of the English department, John Overton High School, Metro Nashville Public Schools
- Kevin Stacy, executive director of the Office of English Learners, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Educator Support and Effectiveness
State leads:
- Paul Fleming, assistant commissioner of teachers and leaders, Tennessee Department of Education
- Sylvia Flowers, executive director of educator talent, Tennessee Department of Education
Working group members:
- Kasar Abdulla, director of community relations, Valor Collegiate Academies, Metro Nashville Public Schools
- Robert Blair, president, Greater Nashville Alliance of Black School Educators
- Bethany Bowman, director of professional learning, Professional Educators of Tennessee
- Tim Haney, principal, Peabody High School, Trenton Special School District
- Mark Hogan, professor and Education Department chairman, Belmont University
- Jeanine Johnson, chief human resources officer, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System
- Chris Marczak, director of schools, Maury County Public Schools
- Bill O’Donnell, coordinator of instructional advocacy, Tennessee Education Association
- Heidi Ramirez, chief academic officer, Shelby County Schools
- Shannon Streett, sixth-grade English and science teacher, Woodbury Grammar School, Cannon County School District
- Mike Winstead, director of schools, Maryville City Schools
School Improvement
State leads:
- Malika Anderson, superintendent, Achievement School District
- Rita Fentress, director of school improvement, Tennessee Department of Education
Working group members:
- Tait Danhausen, school director, Cameron College Prep, Metro Nashville Public Schools
- Sharon Griffin, iZone regional superintendent, Shelby County Schools
- Joey Hassell, principal, Ripley High School, Lauderdale County Department of Education
- Shannon Jackson, executive director of curriculum and instruction, Knox County Schools
- Beverly Miller, supervisor of curriculum and instruction 9-12, Maury County Public Schools
- Cardell Orrin, Memphis director, Stand for Children
- Elaine Swafford, executive director, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy
- Greg Thompson, program officer, The Pyramid Peak Foundation
- Cindy White, principal, Vine Middle Magnet School, Knox County Schools
- Clarissa Zellars, director of school improvement strategy, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Student Support
State leads:
- Mike Herrmann, executive director of conditions for learning, Tennessee Department of Education
- Danielle Mezera, assistant commissioner for college, career, and technical Education, Department of Education
Working group members:
- Brian Bass, principal, Renaissance High School, Williamson County Schools
- Laura Brimm, principal, Dyer County High School, Dyer County Schools
- Nicole Cobb, executive director of school counseling, Metro Nashville Public Schools
- Nancy Dishner, president and chief executive officer, Niswonger Foundation
- Kelly Drummond, chief administrative and human resources officer, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley
- Elaine Jackson, coordinated school health director, Stewart County Schools
- Troy Kilzer II, director of schools, Chester County School System
- Theresa Nixon, director of instructional technology, Knox County Schools
- Greg Wallace, supervisor of safety and mental health, Johnson City Schools