MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- An influential reform group has released its annual assessment of education in Tennessee.
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education, or SCORE, was founded by former Tennessee Senator Bill Frist and counts the education committee chairs in both chambers of the State Legislature among its leadership.
The report notes that SCORE believes Tennessee is at a “critical point in its work to improve student academic achievement.”
SCORE applauds the fact that Tennessee has received recognition for showing the quickest improvement in student test scores in the nation. However, the reform group also notes that only 15 percent of the state’s high school graduates are adequately prepared for college.
Spokesman David Mansouri says SCORE strongly urges Tennessee to continue with implementation of the new Common Core education benchmarks, standards that are controversial in some quarters.
“Now is not the time to back up. We’re the fastest improving state in the country. We need to keep moving forward and accelerate our work, and we believe that the Common Core State Standards are a critical piece of that work.”
SCORE is also recommending renewed focus on teacher training, class room technology, and school leadership.