State education commissioner names testing task force

Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen on Monday announced the establishment of testing task force to examine school-level tests to determine how those assessments align with state tests.

“We have heard some concerns that there is ‘too much testing’ taking place. So as education leaders and stakeholders, it’s important that we clearly understand current testing policies and practices at both the state and local levels,” McQueen said in a news release.

Members named to the task force represent the Tennessee General Assembly, State Board of Education, Tennessee School Boards Association, and 10 local school districts, including Shelby County Schools. The 23-member group will meet later this month to discuss the results of a district assessment survey and will issue a report on its findings this summer.

Members are:

Candice McQueen, Tennessee education commissioner Sara Heyburn, executive director, State Board of Education Sen. Dolores Gresham, chairwoman, Senate Education Committee Rep. John Forgety, chairman, House Education Committee Rep. Harry Brooks, chairman, House Education Committee Mike Winstead, director of schools, Maryville City Wanda Shelton, director of schools, Lincoln County Mary Reel, director of schools, Milan Special Schools Nancy Ashe, assistant director of schools, Lebanon Special Schools Beth Unfried, director of elementary schools, Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools Sharon McNary, principal, Richland Elementary, Shelby County Schools Philip Eller, teacher, Cedar Grove Elementary, Rutherford County Schools Becky McBride, teacher, Brighton High, Tipton County Schools Valerie Love, teacher, Dobyns-Bennett High, Kingsport City Schools Susan Lodal, president, Tennessee School Boards Association Jasmine Carlisle, 11TH-grade student, Mt. Juliet High, Wilson County Schools Virginia Babb, member, Knox County Parent-Teacher Association Kathleen Airhart, deputy commissioner, Tennessee Department of Education Stephen Smith, deputy commissioner, Tennessee Department of Education Emily Freitag, assistant commissioner, curriculum and instruction, Tennessee Department of Education Nakia Towns, assistant commissioner, data and research, Tennessee Department of Education Eva Boster, teacher ambassador, Tennessee Department of Education Alyssa Van Camp, director of policy, State Collaborative on Reforming Education