State: C-N exceeds expectations in preparing educators

(Feb. 21, 2020) JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Carson-Newman University’s Education Department received recognition from the Tennessee State Board of Education for exceeding expectations in preparing teachers and school leaders.

The University’s program was among only nine educator preparation providers across the state that achieved the designation, which is the highest performance category on the board’s annual report card.

“I love the commitment to Christ-centered excellence that our faculty in the Education Department embody,” Carson-Newman President Charles A. Fowler said. “We’re proud to receive this recognition acknowledging our dedication to our students and celebrating our commitment to equip them to be excellent teachers and leaders.”

The designation, announced Feb. 14, comes on the heels of the state naming 2008 Carson-Newman graduate Brian McLaughlin “2019-20 Teacher of the Year.” McLaughlin is the third C-N graduate to receive the prestigious award in the past eight years.

The annual Educator Preparation Report Card is a tool for Tennesseans to learn more about the progress of educator preparation providers toward the board’s key priority areas, according to a news release from the state. Utilizing multiple metrics, such as a profile of recent graduates, their placement and retention in Tennessee public school classrooms, as well as their observation and growth scores, the report card examines the successes of educator preparation providers across the state.

To view the report card, visit: http://teacherprepreportcard.tn.gov

Founded in 1851, Carson-Newman is a Christian liberal arts-based university affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention. The University is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, among the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and has over 2,700 students. Carson-Newman offers 50 undergraduate majors, as well as associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.