Tennessee Selects America’s Choice For School Reform Efforts In State

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posted June 16, 2010

America's Choice, a nationally recognized educational solutions provider, has been approved by the Tennessee Department of Education to help transform Tennessee’s lowest performing schools.

Tennessee is one of two winners of round one of the federal Race to the Top (RTTT) competition, a $4.35 billion competition designed to reward states that are taking strides towards comprehensive, coherent, statewide education reform.

Tennessee’s RTTT plan specifies that Tennessee will give struggling schools access to “high quality” content and course delivery providers identified by the Tennessee Department of Education in the areas of whole school reform and professional development.

Two separate programs provided by America’s Choice – the America’s Choice School Design and the ACT, Inc./America’s Choice-sponsored Rigor & Readiness Comprehensive Design – have been approved by Tennessee as whole school reform models. America’s Choice’s professional development models have also been approved. Implementation of selected models would be funded by the $500 million Tennessee is slated to receive to execute its RTTT plan and Title I School Improvement grants.

“From our experience working on the ground with Tennessee educators and administrators, we feel the unprecedented energy that is driving education reform in the state,” said Dr. Ken James, executive vice president and chief operating officer of America’s Choice. “There is the powerful sense that with the right partners, Tennessee can dramatically improve student achievement and transform school culture. We are excited to bring our unique combination of local experience, national insight, and international research to Tennessee’s lowest performing schools.”