By JC Bowman
K12 education decisions belong to the states and local communities. States must have greater freedom to decide how to use federal money for schools.
The federal government should simplify funding. All categorical programs should be rolled into block grants, allowing states and school districts to make agreements with Washington. In return for federal funds, they should spend the money as they see fit to improve education. But accountability must be easy to understand and tied to funding.
Accountability in schools measures how well students are doing. It’s often a tangled mess. Parents see their kids taking tests and hear teachers complain about teaching to the tests, all valid issues. They don’t see the successes that come from good policies. Schools need to do a better job of sharing their success. There also needs to be additional measures of success.
Every student deserves a quality education, regardless of their background. Tennessee’s constitution underscores the importance of education and free public schools. The General Assembly establishes standards, and while states like Tennessee seek greater autonomy in setting rules, we still adhere to federal funding guidelines. Balancing federal accountability with state needs is essential for maintaining flexibility in education.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) gives us this chance, but states must be empowered even more. ESSA changed the game in 2015, in part driven by then US Senator Lamar Alexander, a former Tennessee Governor and US Secretary of Education. It allowed states to build their own accountability systems while ensuring fairness and transparency. It demands attention for all students, especially the vulnerable—those who struggle, who speak another language, or who have disabilities. Federal requirements included:
- Academic Achievement: Students must show proficiency in reading and math.
- Academic Progress: Growth metrics for younger students and graduation rates for older ones.
- English Proficiency: Track how English learners are doing.
- School Quality: States can choose what to measure, like absenteeism or readiness for college.
States must set high goals and differentiate school performance. The Feds mandate a 95% participation rate in assessments. ESSA gives them flexibility to focus on their own priorities. Tennessee has done this well, integrating federal metrics with state goals to create a clearer reporting system. The next Governor may need to assess what adjustments are needed. That is why it is critical that people who understand Tennessee drive Tennessee education policy. We must get the right people around the right tables.
Some states have done better, making their data accessible and ensuring that children are the focus. This creates a broader view of school success and helps people understand through simple dashboards. Often in the name of data, we complicate the issue, but complexity can confuse parents and educators alike.
Yet challenges remain. States often don’t use the flexibility they have, particularly on equity measures. The connection between identifying schools and effective interventions is still a problem. There’s a need for better alignment between federal rules and state goals. If Tennessee can merge these systems, it could find a balance between federal requirements and state needs, ultimately benefiting all students.
Tennessee has made progress since its first ESSA plan was approved in 2017. The state needs to do a better job of aligning federal requirements with state and local priorities, with a focus on student growth and future readiness for college or career. Results must be presented clearly and kept simple.
A unified system makes sense, as shown by the Tennessee State Report Card. It provides data on student achievement, growth, graduation rates, and readiness for what comes next. Schools receive letter grades that emphasize equity. Data is a tool for improvement, but more data alone does not guarantee better decisions. Can we do better? Yes. We can always work to make information more transparent, accessible, and understandable.
Tennessee supports performance-based funding, ensuring resources are used wisely. Accountability systems have driven growth and improvement over the past decade. Under ESSA, our state recognizes high-performing schools and districts and identifies those that need assistance, using federal funds to support them.
As Commissioner Reynolds and the Tennessee Department of Education have pushed for a simpler accountability framework that uses our A-F grading system, this could align with federal encouragement to revise ESSA plans. A unified accountability system could streamline processes and enhance understanding, making it easier for districts, schools, and educators. Yet progress has been slow, and it may take a federal push to make it happen.
The future of accountability in Tennessee is uncertain, but the foundation is already being established. Collaboration between state and federal systems will be essential for creating an education system that serves every student in Tennessee. We need local voices included in the discussion. Together, we can quickly adapt to challenges, allocate resources effectively, and turn insights into action to ensure that every learner has access to a brighter educational future. We need to be the ones who call the shots.
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JC Bowman is the Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee, a non-partisan teacher association headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author and the association are properly cited. For more information on this subject or any education issue please contact Professional Educators of Tennessee. To schedule an interview please contact info@proedtn.org or 1-800-471-4867.
