State reverses course on using student test scores to revoke teacher licenses

A controversial Tennesse law, which allowed the state to revoke teachers’ licenses if their students did not meet certain tested standards, was cancelled April 22 when Governor Bill Haslam signed a bill (HB 1375/SB 2240) preventing such revocations.

It’s a major reversal of course from last August, when the Tennessee Board of Education, at the governor’s urging, agreed to link license renewal and advancement to teachers’ composite evaluation score as well as a state test, called the  TVAAS (Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System), that measures student learning gains.

With the enactment of the new law, which took effect immediately, the Education Department is prevented from holding up a renewal or revoking a teacher license because of the TVAAS test scores.

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