Tennessee

As Tennessee set higher expectations for student literacy, the state also invested in professional learning for educators to strengthen their understanding and use of instructional best practices. NIET partners with districts to help them implement structures, including teacher leadership roles and instructional leadership teams, that facilitate high-quality professional learning in literacy and other subjects.

Tennessee’s Focus on Literacy Instruction Builds on Years of Progress

As a nationally recognized expert in the implementation of high-quality literacy curricula, NIET has deep experience supporting districts and schools with high-quality professional learning in literacy. Approved as a provider by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE), NIET worked with districts across the state to strengthen literacy outcomes through the Literacy Implementation Networks and the Early Literacy Network. What sets this work apart is that NIET goes beyond initial curriculum implementation to build the expertise of teams. As a result,  partner districts in Tennessee help students make significant and sustained reading gains.

Grant Extends Literacy Improvements to Secondary Grades

Looking ahead, NIET is expanding work at the middle and high school levels as an approved provider for the state’s Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant. By building the expertise of leaders and tapping into the instructional expertise of teacher leaders, schools will align professional learning and coaching to the curriculum teachers use in their classrooms. These changes will strengthen professional learning and lead to improvements in adolescent literacy.

TEAM Provides the Building Blocks for Success

The success of NIET’s curriculum implementation support is built on nearly two decades of work in Tennessee to strengthen classroom practice and student outcomes. In 2011, NIET supported the development, piloting, and statewide rollout of the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) evaluation system. NIET trained thousands of educators to use the TEAM rubric and thousands of leaders to observe and provide high-quality feedback to teachers.

Tennessee was one of the first states in the nation to implement a comprehensive, student outcomes-based, statewide educator evaluation system that provides frequent observation and feedback to support every teacher’s growth and improvement. As a result of the high-quality feedback and coaching provided to teachers through TEAM, teachers feel better prepared to meet the needs of their students.

Clinton City Schools Recognized for Improvements in Student Performance

Clinton City Schools in Clinton, Tennessee, has partnered with NIET for the last six years to strengthen instruction. The district adopted distributed leadership best practices, including teacher leadership and the establishment of instructional leadership teams at both the school and district levels. Teachers now benefit from individualized coaching with teacher leaders and increased professional learning opportunities that align with student needs and district goals.

The partnership increased teacher effectiveness and improved student outcomes. For the 2024-2025 school year, both Clinton Elementary School and North Clinton Elementary School were designated Reward Schools by the Tennessee Department of Education for their improvements in student performance.