Tennessee: Working in Education in Tennessee

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University of Phoenix

Master, Bachelor
Master of Arts in Education/Curriculum and Instruction-English and Language Arts Education, BS in Education / Elementary Teacher Education, MA in Education/Curriculum and Instruction, MA in Education/Teacher Ed. for Elementary Lic., MA in Education/Teacher Ed. for Secondary Lic., ..
Chattanooga, Cordova, Nashville

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Strayer University

Master
M.Ed.: Adult Education and Development, M.Ed.: Technology in Education
Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis

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Education Managers

Since 2001, the Tennessee Department of Education has asked retired teachers and administrators to serve as coaches, mentors, and guides in low-achieving schools. These Exemplary Educators have helped nearly 200 schools achieve adequate yearly progress. In 2008-2009, all of the 42 schools in Tennessee that were removed from the state's high priority list participated in the Exemplary Educator program. The program received a Top 50 Innovations in American Government Award in 2007.

Tennessee has two types of administrator licensing:

  • The Beginning Administrator License is for people who completed or enrolled in a graduate program in school administration before September 15, 2009, have at least one year of successful teaching experience, and complete all requirements for licensing before September 1, 2011.
  • The Instructional Leader License is issued to educators who complete an approved graduate program in school leadership after September 15, 2009, hold a valid Tennessee teacher license, and have a minimum of three years of successful work experience in education.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the estimated mean annual wage for preschool and childcare administrators in Tennessee was $34,550 in May 2008, lower than the nationwide mean of $46,370. For elementary and secondary administrators the state mean was $69,670, compared to the nationwide mean of $86,060.

Teacher's Aides

Sevier County Department of Special Education maintains an extensive list of resources for paraprofessionals. The department also publishes Special Education Procedural Guidelines for the Determination of Paraprofessional (Attendant) Support. In addition, the county department has a handbook for paraeducators.

The estimated mean annual salary for teaching assistants in Tennessee was $18,290 in May 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The nationwide mean was $23,560.

Technology Education and Curriculum/Instruction

Tennessee students can take online public school courses for free through a number of elementary and high school virtual programs. Postsecondary training programs give Tennessee teachers experience with using the Internet for curriculum and instruction. One university-based virtual school develops programs to integrate technology in teaching and learning. It also builds learning communities and supports videoconferencing to enhance K-12 curriculum as well as the professional development of teachers.

The Verizon Foundation has awarded the Tennessee Department of Education multiple grants of $30,000 to train teachers on the free standards-based education resources available through Verizon.

In a review of state policies and practices for online learning, the Center for Digital Education ranked Tennessee 45th in the nation. Instructional coordinators, also called curriculum specialists of instructional consultants, are responsible for developing curriculum standards and helping teachers use technology in their instruction. Instructional coordinators in Tennessee had an estimated mean annual wage of $50,940 in May 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The mean annual wage for instructional coordinators nationwide was $59,780.

A new study from the National Center on Education Statistics compares state standards for student achievement. According to the study, Vermont and Maine are tied for fifth place as states with the highest standards for fourth-grade reading proficiency in 2007. The standards form the basis for curriculum and instruction.

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