Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

Vanderbilt University

Rethinking Leadership

Tennessee
August 10, 2018

How do you improve schools? Start by coaching principals, says new study

To develop teachers, principals needing coaching too, says a new study by Vanderbilt University and Mathematica Policy Research.

measuring up

Tennessee
June 19, 2018

After five years, the Tennessee-run district isn’t performing any better than low-performing schools receiving no intervention, research says

The study compares Tennessee's state-run district with other and found that average test scores “before and after the reform is no different from the difference during the same period for comparison schools.”

early childhood

Tennessee
May 3, 2018

Tennessee continues funding for 900 free pre-K classrooms. How many will be in your district?

Tennessee will dole out $86 million in state funding next school year to maintain more than 900 free preschool classrooms. The awards, announced Thursday by…

At what cost

Tennessee
February 1, 2018

Do schools lose ground when losing top teachers to turnaround schools? A little, but it’s worth it, says Tennessee research

New research addresses a nagging concern about the quest to lure top teachers to struggling schools.

Election 2018

Tennessee
January 24, 2018

Six things we heard during Tennessee’s first gubernatorial forum on education

Tennessee voters got their first good look at most candidates for governor during an education forum televised statewide.

small step

Tennessee
December 5, 2017

Memphis mayor endorses pre-K investments as City Council plans vote

The council will vote soon on whether to commit the city to coming up with at least $8 million to fill an impending gap in pre-K funding.

Testing conundrum

Tennessee
April 18, 2017

McQueen wants to prevent non-tested early grades from becoming a dumping ground for weaker teachers

Tennessee's education commissioner says a new teacher evaluation system for lower grades should help strengthen the quality of the state's early instruction.

performance pay

Tennessee
April 12, 2017

Teacher merit pay has merit when it comes to student scores, analysis shows

After years of conflicting studies about whether teacher incentive pay improves student performance, a Vanderbilt University analysis offers a conclusion — and suggestions.

Regrouping

Tennessee
February 27, 2017

Tennessee’s pre-K wasn’t working, a 2015 study found. Now the state is putting new focus on teaching.

Catalyzed by a landmark study showing its public prekindergarten programs are ineffective, the Tennessee Department of Education is overhauling its program.

big debut

Tennessee
February 9, 2017

Memphis is about to open a major pre-K center. Advocates hope it’s just the start.

Porter-Leath’s new Early Childhood Academy will open Friday as the first of its kind in Memphis.

Teacher quality

Tennessee
December 15, 2016

Here’s where Tennessee’s best teachers are trained, according to new state report card

Nearly all are located around Nashville and Memphis, and half are non-traditional, according to the State Board of Education report.

Pre-K payoff

Tennessee
November 16, 2016

North Carolina just countered Tennessee’s findings on pre-K fadeout. Here’s the difference, according to researchers.

A year after a Vanderbilt study revealed weaknesses in public pre-K, a North Carolina study suggests public pre-K can work, at a cost.

Segregation now

Tennessee
October 27, 2016

Fifty years after landmark Coleman report, does diversity in schools still matter?

Diversity in schools still matters, perhaps more than ever, according to a panel of experts convened by Vanderbilt University.

Early education

Tennessee
October 26, 2016

Spending more on pre-K doesn’t guarantee success, say Vanderbilt researchers

Researchers at Vanderbilt University are using Tennessee as a cautionary tale for the rest of the nation to pause before expanding pre-kindergarten programs.

Teacher retention

Tennessee
October 6, 2016

Alternatively trained teachers quit more quickly — but not in Tennessee

Tennessee teachers that come to the classroom through alternative preparation programs are bucking a nationwide trend by sticking around.

Early education

Tennessee
March 21, 2016

Six months after sobering study, bill to up pre-K quality heads to governor’s desk

State lawmakers unanimously pass a bill designed to make pre-K classrooms stronger.

New research

Tennessee
January 19, 2016

Study finds racial discrimination in school gifted programs

Black students are far less likely to be placed in gifted programs, even with the same test scores as their white peers and especially if their teacher is white, say researchers.

Early education

Tennessee
November 18, 2015

Power of pre-K gets boost from new report countering Vanderbilt study

States should raise the quality of pre-K programs and make early childhood development a priority, says a new report by leaders of the Southern Regional Education Board.

Preschool debate

Colorado
October 23, 2015

Landmark study sparks question: Do preschool effects stick in Colorado but not in Tennessee?

Early childhood leaders here say a major study that raised doubts about preschool's effectiveness quality but doesn't match Colorado data on the topic.
Tennessee
October 7, 2015

New study will examine role of teacher evaluation in student improvement

An upcoming study from Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of Education is funded by a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Student incentives

Tennessee
September 14, 2015

Study: Middle school students want recognition, not money

Vanderbilt University researchers studying student incentives are surprised that middle school students are more motivated by certificates than money.

Ready for TNReady?

Tennessee
August 25, 2015

New TNReady test will be harder to ‘game,’ say education officials

Test-taking tips, such as "when in doubt, guess C," soon will be obsolete in Tennessee, at least when it comes to the state's end-of-year standardized assessments.
Tennessee
June 23, 2014

Teacher retention bonuses paid off, says new Vanderbilt study

High-performing teachers who received $5,000 retention bonuses were more likely to stay in schools ranked in the bottom five percent in the state, according…