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Bredesen calls for special session on education

1/9/2010  | Chattanooga Times Free Press

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By Andy Sher asher@timesfreepress.com

NASHVILLE — Gov. Phil Bredesen on Friday issued his official call for a special legislative session on K-12 and higher education reforms.

The special session call also gives lawmakers the authority to temporarily suspend a new workers’ compensation law affecting sole proprietors and partners.

House Speaker Kent Williams’ office released to news media an e-mail of the call, which was expected. The special session starts Tuesday.

“I look forward to working with you this session to capitalize on the unique opportunities that are in front of us in public education,” the governor said in his letter, dated Thursday.

In his proclamation, Gov. Bredesen cited the history of K-12 education reform in Tennessee and noted that the state now is competing with other states for a piece of some $4.35 billion in federal Race to the Top funds.

The proclamation notes the Race to the Top competition “will reward states that have demonstrated success in raising student achievement and have the best plans to accelerate their reforms in the future.”

The proclamation also says that “Tennessee has the best opportunity for achieving success if it submits a competitive proposal during the first round of applications,” which are due Jan. 19.

Proposed changes would allow the state to use student achievement, as measured by the state’s value-added assessment system, in making determinations about granting teacher tenure and in annual evaluations.

In the proclamation, the governor says lawmakers are to consider creation of a “teacher evaluation advisory committee” that would make recommendations to the State Board of Education for annual evaluations of all people with teaching certificates employed by local education agencies.

Some top legislative leaders including Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, however, think the amount of weight given to test scores should be set by the General Assembly.

The call also directs lawmakers to consider changes in teacher suspension and dismissal hearings, as well as tenure for teachers and principals.

The governor and legislative leaders also have been discussing changes to the funding formula for colleges and universities to reward institutions that do a good job of graduating students.

The governor’s letter says there are three higher education reform areas. They include:

“Adopting policies to improve degree completion at two-year and four-year colleges and universities, including raising current degree rates and encouraging more Tennesseans to pursue post-secondary degrees,”

“Ensuring that public funding for higher education is based on performances and outcomes” and

“Elevating the research mission of the state’s leading research institution, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.”

SPECIAL SESSION

The General Assembly will convene Tuesday in special session to consider Gov. Phil Bredesen’s proposed reforms on K-12 and higher education. The governor will address lawmakers at 6 p.m. EST. The speech will be carried on live streaming video on the state’s Web site www.tn.gov.