Commissioner McQueen Announces Special Task Force On Student Testing And Assessment

  • Monday, March 2, 2015

Education Commissioner Candice McQueen announced the formation of a special Tennessee Task Force on Student Testing and Assessment to study and identify best practices in testing at the school level and how those assessments align with required state tests.

“We have heard some concerns that there is ‘too much testing’ taking place. So as education leaders and stakeholders, it’s important that we clearly understand current testing policies and practices at both the state and local levels,” Comm.

McQueen said. “Proper assessment tools are vital in making sure we are supporting our schools, teachers, parents, and students with clear information about what students are learning and mastering. We want to highlight those districts that are finding the right approach and balance on this important topic, and to identify any areas for discussion and improvement.”

The new task force includes a broad spectrum of education leaders, teachers and stakeholders. The first meeting of the task force will convene in late March, and will focus on the results of a district assessment survey.

“Assessments can be powerful tools in ensuring the work we’re doing in education is effective and that we are gaining a return on our taxpayer investments,” Senate Education Committee Chairman and task force member Dolores Gresham said. “I’m excited to be a part of this important work.”

The task force will issue a report on its findings this summer.

The task force will include the following members:

Candice McQueen, Tennessee commissioner of Education

Sara Heyburn, executive director, State Board of Education

Dolores Gresham, chairman, Senate Education Committee

John Forgety, chairman, House Education Committee

Harry Brooks, chairman, House Education Committee

Mike Winstead, director of Schools, Maryville City 

Wanda Shelton, director of Schools, Lincoln County 

Mary Reel, director of Schools, Milan Special Schools

Nancy Ashe, assistant director of schools, Lebanon Special Schools

Beth Unfried, director of elementary schools, Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools 

Sharon McNary, principal, Richland Elementary, Shelby County Schools

Philip Eller, teacher, Cedar Grove Elementary, Rutherford County Schools

Becky McBride, teacher, Brighton High, Tipton County School

Valerie Love, teacher, Dobyns-Bennett High, Kingsport City Schools  

Susan Lodal, president, Tennessee School Boards Association

Jasmine Carlisle, 11th-grade student, Mt. Juliet High, Wilson County Schools

Virginia Babb, member, Knox County Parent-Teacher Association

Ex officio members:

Kathleen Airhart, deputy commissioner, Tennessee Department of Education

Stephen Smith, deputy commissioner, Tennessee Department of Education

Emily Freitag, assistant commissioner, Curriculum and Instruction, Tennessee Department of Education

Nakia Towns, assistant commissioner, Data and Research, Tennessee Department of Education

Eva Boster, teacher ambassador, Tennessee Department of Education

Alyssa Van Camp, director of Policy, State Collaborative on Reforming Education 

For more information, contact Ashley Ball at 615-532-6260 or Ashley.M.Ball@tn.gov. 

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