By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support local journalism.
Governor supports delay in teacher licensing rules
Placeholder Image
NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam said Monday he supports a vote by the Tennessee Board of Education to delay the implementation of new rules on licensing teachers until 2015, calling the decision “a very wise one.”Under the proposal approved last week, teacher licenses would be tied to student test data.Many teachers oppose the changes because they’re concerned that flawed scores could cause qualified teachers to mistakenly lose their licenses.The board voted 6-3 to approve the changes but decided to delay their implementation in order to give the board time to hear concerns and make changes.Haslam told reporters following an event Monday that was the right thing for the board to do.“I think it’s a sense of saying we like the direction, let’s make certain ... all the implications we’re prepared for,” he said. “I thought their decision was a very wise one.”The Tennessee Education Association held a news conference a few days before the board’s vote to say it opposed incorporating the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (or TVAAS) data into license requirements.Currently, professional teaching licenses are renewed for 10 years without regard to effectiveness.Under the proposal, a renewal would depend on 50 percent of value-added data.