Transforming the Pool of Tenured Teachers in Tennessee

About the Brief

In 2012, Tennessee proposed numerous changes to its teacher tenure process as part of its Race to the Top grant.  This brief examines how the pool of eligible teachers changed after the implementation of tenure reform in Tennessee.

Key Findings

1. The total number of newly tenured teachers substantially decreased after the tenure reforms took effect.
2. The average performance of newly tenured teachers was higher after tenure reform.
3. The demographic composition of tenure-eligible teachers remained stable after tenure reform.
4. The proportion of newly tenured teachers from low-performing and high-poverty schools decreased in the post-reform years.

Suggested Citation

Rodriguez, L.A., Springer, M.G., & Shelton, G. (2019). Transforming the pool of tenured teachers in Tennessee. Tennessee Education Research Alliance.