Taking Note
NOVEMBER 2012
EXAMINING KEY EDUCATION REFORM IDEAS IN TENNESSEE
Teacher Licensure in Tennessee
Tennessee Framework, Recent Progress, and Future Opportunities
Introduction
Research has shown that effective teaching is the most important schoolbased factor in improving student achievement. One of the key pillars
of reform identified in SCORE’s 2009 Roadmap to Success report is
ensuring that excellent teaching occurs in every classroom in Tennessee. It
is critical that we continue to push for the best and most effective teaching
candidates to enter the profession.
Debates over teacher licensure—who should license teachers, who
should train them, and ultimately who should teach—existed long before
the enactment of current licensure policies. At the start of the 19th century,
the process for becoming a licensed teacher was largely determined and
regulated by local policies. As teacher colleges were established in the
late 19th and early 20th centuries, states began to take more control over
the process by issuing teaching certificates to graduates of the colleges.
Throughout the 20th century, state departments of education and teacher
colleges expanded significantly, and the majority of states established a
centralized licensure process. Today, all teachers are required to hold a
license issued by the state in which they are currently employed.1
The licensure and certification process must reflect the high expectations
to which we hold teachers. Despite what research has consistently
shown about the critical role that teachers play in student learning, there
is not sufficient evidence to establish a singular approach to teacher
training. Measures such as the route to licensure, type of certification,
attainment of advanced degrees, and years of teaching experience
explain very little of the variation in teacher quality. However, these
measures often make up the key components of a state’s teacher
licensure process and can be used in determining high stake decisions
regarding hiring and pay. There has been extensive research on the
various factors that may influence teacher effectiveness, but “there is little
firm empirical evidence to support conclusions about the effectiveness
of specific approaches to teacher preparation.”2
The inability of researchers to link components of teacher training
programs to student achievement has produced two contrasting ideas
about how states might alter their teacher preparation and certification
structures in order to produce the most effective teachers. The first
promotes deregulation of the profession, suggesting that current
entry barriers, such as education degree attainment and coursework
requirements, be removed so that the field is opened to a greater number
of candidates. The second urges states to increase formal education
and pre-service requirements and set more demanding standards for
candidates who wish to enter the profession. The tension between the
ideas of relaxing versus increasing barriers to entry into teacher education
programs emphasizes the need to rethink licensing policies. This memo
outlines recommendations that are applicable to all types of teacher
preparation programs, regardless of entry requirements or structure.
Tennessee Framework
Before exploring potential changes to the licensure and certification
process, it is important to understand the Tennessee landscape and
the roles of different stakeholder groups. The Tennessee State Board
of Education (SBE) is responsible for approving the licensure standards
and preparation program approval policies. It is the role of the Tennesee
Department of Education (TDOE) to carry out the approval process by
evaluating programs based on the SBE policy. Once the TDOE reviews
the preparation program and makes a recommendation to the SBE, the
SBE decides whether or not to allow the program to certify teachers. The
state-approved teacher preparation programs provide the training and
certification that is necessary to become a licensed educator. The TDOE’s
Office of Teacher Education and Accreditation is responsible for issuing
individual teacher licenses.3
Teacher candidates in the state can choose to go through either a
traditional certification route or an alternative process. The chart on the
following page illustrates the two main pathways for teachers in Tennessee.
The traditional route is offered through higher education institutions
with state-approved preparation programs. The alternative route must
also be approved by the state and include a district partner, but can be
provided by higher education institutions, local districts, and/or other
education organizations, such as Teach For America and TNTP. Some
alternative routes are designed specifically for current professionals who
are interested in making a career change to teaching. For example, Teach
Tennessee is a state-run program that seeks mid-career professionals
who can teach in high need areas such as math, science, and foreign
language. There are additional transitional licensure routes available for
teachers who are already licensed in another state as well as those who
have not yet passed the Praxis, the state’s exam for licensure.4
“
The licensure and certification process
must reflect the high expectations
to which we hold teachers.
”
1207 18th Avenue South, Suite 326, Nashville, TN 37212 — tel 615.727.1545 — fax 615.727.1569 — www.tnscore.org