A new report from the Tennessee Education Association (TEA) reveals that educators across the Volunteer State are calling for significant changes to Tennessee’s public education system, particularly in the areas of school calendars, teacher licensure and evaluations, and student assessments.
Representing more than 40,000 educators across Tennessee, TEA, an affiliate of the National Education Association, is the largest teachers union in the state.
TEA’s comprehensive white paper, titled “Reimagining Tennessee’s Public Schools for the Future,” was released Monday.
The report, based on survey feedback from more than 600 teachers, administrators, and education support professionals, outlines a list of policy recommendations to the state’s K–12 education system.
According to TEA’s Freedom to Teach Educator Feedback Survey, 81 percent of teachers said they spend too much classroom time on mandatory testing, while 83 percent believe those test results are misused in state accountability systems.
TEA has released Reimagining Tennessee’s Public Schools for the Future, presenting educator-driven policy recommendations to modernize and strengthen Tennessee’s K–12 education system. https://t.co/izJtIakJqW pic.twitter.com/WDT5anDiwE
— Tennessee Education Association (@TEA_teachers) October 28, 2025
Further, nearly half of respondents oppose the current policy requiring annual performance reviews for all teachers, saying evaluations should be differentiated based on experience and need.
“Evaluation requirements should be differentiated based on teacher experience and assignment. Veteran educators with consistent records of effectiveness should undergo fewer mandated evaluations…Providing flexibility in the design of evaluation rubrics based on an educator’s level of experience would help early-career educators feel more supported as they hone their craft,” the report reads.
TEA’s report also recommends an hours-based school calendar that maintains the five-day school week but gives districts flexibility for professional learning and family engagement.
“Tennessee should measure instructional time in hours to allow creative scheduling for professional learning, additional planning time, and family- friendly calendars without reducing instructional opportunities,” the report adds.
Alongside proposed reforms to teacher licensure, evaluations, and student assessments, TEA’s report also urges the expansion of Career and Technical Education and work-based learning opportunities statewide through initiatives such as Jobs for America’s Graduates Tennessee.
TEA urged Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, the Advisory Committee on Innovations in K–12 Education, and state lawmakers to adopt its policy recommendations detailed in Monday’s report.
Tanya T. Coats (pictured above), president of TEA, said, “By centering teacher professionalism and student needs, Tennessee can build an innovative and engaging public education system for every child that will serve as an example for other states and our great nation, for generations to come.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Tanya Coats” by TEA.
