DOE Threatens TN Dept of Education Funding For Alleged Assessment, Accountability Issues

Oct 18, 2022 | Political News

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has placed a condition on a grant to the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) citing assessment and accountability issues and has threatened further enforcement actions unless resolved.
 

The DOE alleges that the TDOE failed to comply with federal assessment reporting standards in 2021.

In a letter addressed to Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn from James F. Lane, Senior Advisor in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Education, Lane writes, “The assessment and accountability compliance issues are significant because they not only impact the State’s ability to provide clear and transparent information to the public about school performance, but  also result in the State using information that is not comparable across schools in TDOE’s statewide  accountability system.” 

Lane continues, “As a result, I am placing a condition on TDOE’s Title I, Part A grant award until  such time as these issues are fully resolved. In order to remove this condition, TDOE must address the  items as described below. If TDOE fails to meet these requirements, the Department may take additional enforcement action.”