The Work Teams serve to create and recommend policies specific to their given names: Preparation, Teacher Effectiveness Measure, Induction/Support/PD/Retention, and Differentiated Roles/Responsibilities.

Teams are comprised of respected practitioners from the field, including teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders. The Work Teams have been especially designed to “get underneath the hood” of human capital policies based on their experiences and make recommendations aimed at improving educator quality at MNPS.

Teacher Effectiveness Measure Work Team
The Teacher Effectiveness Measure (TEM) will be the anchor of Nashville’s ASSET. Aligned to state’s First to the Top legislation, the TEM Work Team is charged with:

• Developing a common vision for and definition of effective teaching for MNPS.
• Working to identify major concerns and problems with the current teacher evaluation and observation process.
• Developing a new teacher effectiveness measure that consists of specific areas of measurement that are reflected in the agreed upon definition.
• Creating an improved evaluation process based on teacher effectiveness that clearly illustrates the teacher’s role in improving his/her own effectiveness.
• Crafting an implementation plan for the new teacher evaluation system and teacher effectiveness measure.

TEM Members
Tina Stenson, Research Coordinator, MNPS (Co-Chair)
Julie Hopkins, Principal, Buena Vista (Co-Chair)
Paul Changas, Director of Program Evaluation and Assessment, MNPS
Pamela Sexton, Teacher and Executive Board Member, Metro Nashville Education Association
Kay Stafford, Human Resources Executive Director of Elementary Schools, MNPS
Earl Wiman, President, Tennessee Education Association

Support, Professional Development, Retention, and Induction (SPRInt)
The Support, Professional Development, Retention, and Induction (SPRInt) Work Team is charged with the following:

• Identifying major concerns and problems with the district’s current induction, support and professional development processes.
• Outlining a new professional development process that is individualized to teacher needs.
• Considering differentiated career paths for teachers based on a teacher effectiveness measure and professional accomplishments.
• Outlining a process to support underperforming teachers.
• Developing an induction program for new teachers that provides intensive support for the first two years of teaching.
• Considering an implementation plan for a new professional development process that cuts across the entire district.

SPRInt Members
Ronald Powe, Principal, Edison Elementary (Co-chair)
David Moore, Classroom Management Mentor Specialist, MNPS (Co-chair)
Barbara Broadway, Math Mentor, Maplewood High School
Steve Chauncy, Principal, Hillwood High School
Forestine Cole, TEA Uniserv Coordinator, MNEA
Ashley Croft, Teacher, Litton Middle School
Victoria Greer, Instructional Facilitator for Exceptional Education, MNPS
Suezette Robotham, The New Teacher Project
Bill Moody, Principal, Two Rivers Middle School

Differentiated Roles and Responsibilities (DR/R) Work Team
Differentiated role and responsibilities for teachers is an important factor in keeping the effective teachers in the classroom. The Differentiated Roles and Responsibilities (DR/R) Work Team is charged with:

• Identifying major concerns and problems with the current compensation structure.
• Outlining a new compensation system that is based on differentiated roles and performance.
• Developing new opportunities to incent effective teaching based on a teacher effectiveness measure.
• Developing an implementation plan for the new compensation and incentive system

DR/R Members
Deloris Burke, Principal, McMurray Middle School (Chair)
Alan Coverstone, Executive Director of Charter and Private Schools, MNPS
Suzanne Frensley, Teacher, Hillsboro High School
Ricki Gibbs, Teacher, Paragon Mills Elementary
Stephen Henry, Vice President, Metro Nashville Education Association

Preparation Work Team
While MNPS does not directly operate or lead teacher education programs, the district stands as their primary customer and therefore has some influence over programs in Nashville and across Tennessee. The Preparation Work Team is charged with the following:

• Identifying the characteristics of the best traditional teacher preparation programs.
• Examining and making recommendations on alternative pathways.
• Considering and recommending entry standards.
• Refining recommendations aimed at closely tracking graduates.
• Recommending an implementation plan for improving teacher preparation among partners that do business with MNPS.

Preparation Members
Junior High, Director of Undergraduate Education, Lipscomb University
Trevor Hutchins, Associates Dean, School of Education, Belmont University
Peter Millet, Dean, School of Education, Tennessee State University
Kim Paulsen, Associate Professor, Vanderbilt University
Esther Swink, Dean, School of Education, Trevecca Nazarene University