Welcome to TennesseeCAN

We believe every student deserves a K-12 education that prepares them for lifelong success after graduation, and we advocate for smart policies and strong leadership that will achieve this vision.

The State of Educational Opportunity in Tennessee: A Survey of Tennessee Parents, 2nd Edition

Tennessee has a long history of listening to parents and making improvements to our education system rooted in their needs and expectations. Over the past decade, that commitment has led to academic growth and parent satisfaction in Tennessee, even as other states struggled to recover from school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic. With the state set to open a new chapter, with a new gubernatorial administration, this is a moment where listening to families is especially critical.

Parent perspective is the heart of our work at TennesseeCAN, and it is what drives the second edition of the Survey of Educational Opportunity in Tennessee. Developed in partnership with 50CAN and Edge Research, this updated survey captures how families are experiencing the education system now, while also allowing us to see where views have shifted since the last edition, published in November 2024.

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Believe in Better

As we seek to recover, rebuild and renew our commitment to education, our students deserve MORE than a return to normal, they deserve to… Believe in Better. Here are our five promises to America’s students and families:

Education that’s right for you

A high-quality education system is not one-size-fits-all. Instead, it provides families with multiple options so they can find the learning environment that best meets the needs of their children. And it makes use of new technologies to allow teachers to create individualized learning opportunities for their students that aren’t just limited to their school building.

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Tutoring and care for every student in every community

Access to free, high-quality tutoring. Not just during the school year, but year-round.

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Aim higher for a parent’s right to know what’s working

A high-quality education system sets clear, rigorous standards for the knowledge, skills and abilities students need to have to succeed in the global economy. It uses trusted assessments to measure progress towards these goals. And it holds schools accountable for results.

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Cultivate talent - ensure every student has a caring adult

A high-quality education system creates an environment where America’s most talented teachers and leaders thrive. That means attracting great leaders to be principals and giving them more flexibility and support while also holding them more accountable for results. It also means attracting great teachers and giving them more freedom and support in their own classroom while rewarding them for meaningful outcomes like student performance.

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Reach everyone - college and career

A high-quality education system meets every child where they are and brings them up to where they need to be by ensuring they graduate with all the skills, knowledge and abilities needed to be happy, healthy, productive adults who make the world a better place for all.

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About Chelsea Crawford

Executive Director

Chelsea Crawford is the Executive Director of TennesseeCAN. In her prior role, she served for more than four years as chief of staff at the Tennessee Department of Education, where she led the commissioner’s office under two commissioners and through the COVID-19 pandemic. Her role spanned overseeing the communications, stakeholder engagement, policy and legislative affairs, and performance and evaluation teams. Her leadership contributed to the passage and implementation of several key administration bills, including early literacy, learning loss interventions, tutoring, and funding reform policies that are positively changing the trajectory for Tennessee’s students.

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