Frist’s Statement on Race To The Top.

NASHVILLE – Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who chairs the education-reform group Tennessee SCORE, on March 4 issued this statement following news that Tennessee is a finalist in the federal government’s groundbreaking Race to the Top competition:

“Tennessee’s spot as a finalist confirms what we’ve known: The Volunteer State is poised to move farther, faster in public education reform than any other state in the nation. Governor Bredesen, the General Assembly, and stakeholders including the TEA are to be commended for their bipartisan work in positioning us for success. Thanks also to Secretary Duncan and the U.S. Department of Education for recognizing the extraordinary opportunities that exist here. Statewide, the education-reform community stands ready to help make sure that Tennessee is ‘first to the top.”

The Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes education innovation. In October 2009, SCORE released “A Roadmap to Success,” a report outlining comprehensive strategies for improving Tennessee schools. Many of the strategies were adopted in January’s special legislative session on education reform.

SCORE Final Report

On October 22, 2009, SCORE released its Final Report entitled ‘A Roadmap to Success: A Plan to Make Tennessee Schools #1 in the Southeast Within Five Years.” The report lays out in detail a plan that includes four key strategies that will help Tennessee become the Southeast’s top education performer – embracing high standards, cultivating strong leaders, ensuring excellent teachers, and utilizing data to improve student learning. It also outlines the role various groups can play in improving our schools. To download a copy of the report, please click here.

Tennessee Race to the Top Application Summary

SCORE has written a six-page summary of Tennessee’s 1,111-page Race to the Top application. This summary does not reflect SCORE’s view on the individual components of the application but rather is an attempt to summarize the application in a concise way. To view the summary, please click here. To view the complete application, pleaseclick here.

SCORE Gubernatorial Forum on Education

On Thursday, January 14, 2010, the Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), along with Nashville’s News Channel Five and Belmont University hosted the first major gubernatorial forum of the 2010 election year. The Gubernatorial Forum on Education was the first time all the main candidates for governor from both the Democratic and Republican parties gathered on the same stage, sharing their ideas and plans for education and economic development in Tennessee.

To view the forum online, please click here.

About SCORE

The Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) is an initiative to jumpstart long-term educational change in Tennessee to ensure that every child graduates high school prepared for college or a career. SCORE is chaired by William H. Frist, former Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, along with a 30-person Steering Committee. To read more about SCORE, please click here.