In May, the Peabody Journal of Education released a special themed issue on seven studies conducted by the Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA), a research-practice partnership between Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development and the Tennessee Department of Education.
TERA houses Tennessee's K-12 public school data and conducts an annual survey of educators statewide. Through TERA, scholars at Vanderbilt and other universities across the country carry out high-quality, practical research that informs state-level policy, impacts practice in schools and districts across Tennessee, and contributes to national conversations on K-12 education.
"This PJE volume highlights the rigor, role, and relevancy of collaborative policy work conducted by a uniquely productive partnership between Peabody College/Vanderbilt University and the Tennessee Department of Education," said Claire Smrekar, associate professor of public policy and education and editor of the Peabody Journal of Education. "The PJE is committed to amplifying research findings that advance school reform programs and improve educational practices. These articles punctuate that point."
The first four studies offered context for a given topic area or provided important background information for future, more-targeted studies. They examined Tennessee students' exposure to teachers of color in grades 3 through 8, changing dynamics of interest in the teaching profession among high school students in Tennessee over the past decade, the experiences of "instructionally isolated" Tennessee teachers who are the only ones with a given teaching assignment in their school, and English learner student populations and ESL-endorsed teachers across four Tennessee districts with high percentages of EL students.
The second set of studies focused on more-targeted, statewide evaluations of specific programs:
- The fifth study examined the implementation of Tennessee's Advanced Placement Access for All (APAA) program, which offers asynchronous remote AP courses to students across the state, supported by local school liaisons. This study is part of a larger effort between TERA and the state to examine early postsecondary opportunities.
- The sixth study evaluated Tennessee's Governor's Academy for School Leadership. In response to a growing demand for well-prepared school principals across the state, Tennessee created the Governor's Academy for School Leadership to provide innovative training opportunities for assistant principals identified by their districts as promising potential future principals. Once selected through a competitive process, participants received professional development opportunities over a full year as part of a GASL cohort.
- The final study examined the Tennessee community school model under which schools form partnerships with community organizations to provide targeted extramural opportunities and support to students.
As these studies exemplify, TERA works to support meaningful change in education policy and practice across Tennessee by adhering to three important principles: intentional design, collaborative relationships, and accessible communication. Read the issue to learn more about the research and impact of TERA.
