Tennessee Teacher Tenure Bill Fails in House

A proposal allowing Tennessee teachers to qualify for tenure if they "meet expectations" on their evaluations is likely dead this session. The measure failed 7-5 in the House Finance Subcommittee yesterday. A companion bill is awaiting a vote in the Senate Education Committee. Under the state's new evaluation system, teachers can gain tenure only if they score at least a four on a 5-point rating scale two years in a row. The proposal would allow teachers who score 3 or above in the last two years of the probationary period to receive tenure. Critics of the new evaluation system have included the tenure bill in a list of recommended changes to the process.