This year’s survey represents the perceptions of more than 30,000 educators, about half of the state’s teachers and administrators, and results are weighted to take into account differential response rates. Results are released publicly for districts and schools that achieved a response rate greater than or equal to 45 percent. Half of Tennessee’s 1,800 schools and 123 of 148 districts crossed this threshold.
Key Findings
- Most educators feel good about the climate in their schools, saying that they serve students alongside colleagues who share their goals and high expectations and school leaders who value the importance of instructional time. The combined sense of job satisfaction and mission focus provides a strong foundation for the continuous improvement that is a hallmark of Tennessee education.
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Disparities between teacher and administrator views about the consistency and effectiveness of school discipline practices highlight a substantial area of need for the state, especially considering that disciplinary infractions often lead to missed instruction for students. Survey results show that teachers seek new strategies to address the varied needs of diverse learners, to increase student engagement, and to educate the “whole student.”
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Teacher professional learning represents a third area of significant interest, and we find much both positive and negative to learn from educators’ survey responses. While more teachers than ever are finding value in the statewide evaluation system, they continue to feel that they are receiving insufficient support for improvement, both in terms of the direct feedback that comes from their administrators and in terms of the time and resources for collaboration with peers.
Survey Results Read the Report (PDF, 360 kb)