While commenting on student gains in scores for the 2015 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP), govenor Bill Haslam recently said he wants to bolster that upward trend as much as possible.
“That is why we see great promise in establishing the Governor’s Teacher Cabinet,” Haslam said. “We’ve had a number of conversations with teachers in a variety of settings, and this is another way to receive direct feedback from teachers who are in front of a class every day. As Tennessee continues to build on the success we’ve seen in our schools over the past four years, we want to hear from teachers about what is working and what needs improvement.”
The cabinet will meet quarterly with Education Commissioner Candice McQueen and Haslam to share information from the classroom, advise on policies and provide a direct line of communication to schools and communities.
Directors of schools nominated one teacher from each of their districts, and 18 classroom teachers were selected based on this criteria: focused on student achievement, encourages collaboration among colleagues, demonstrates leadership, solutions-oriented and relentlessly pursues excellence.
Two local educators were chosen:
- Schwann Logan of the Bartlett City Schools District was chosen as a cabinet member.
- Also chosen was Karen Vogelsang, representing Shelby County Schools.
Haslam said, “We know that nothing is more important for us than getting education right. We are asking Tennessee students and teachers to do more than they ever have before, and the results continue to show growth. We are always looking for where we can improve. It is all part of our effort to help every Tennessee student graduate from high school, obtain a postsecondary degree and be successful in the workforce.
