Governor calls state’s college graduation rate ‘unacceptable’

“That is unacceptable,” the governor said in challenging teachers and businessmen at a Tennessee Business Roundtable summit on math and science education. “We have got to make some changes to the status quo.”

Bredesen has worked to raise state teacher salaries above the Southeastern average and has focused particular attention on pre-kindergarten education. Now he wants to begin “the difficult work of redesigning our high schools.”

“We have to make sure every student graduates from high school with some skills and knowledge that they will need for college work. And beyond that, with the capacity and training to continue their education as time goes by.”

After his speech, the governor said he hopes to expand the state Lottery scholarship program to help people who want to get a degree later in life.

Bredesen, who holds a physics degree from Harvard, also said he is “highly sympathetic” to requiring four years of high school math, but he isn’t ready yet to promote that change.

The audience of top educators and chief executives from many of Tennessee’s largest companies pounced on the governor’s challenge.

The University of Tennessee-Battelle partnership that manages the Oak Ridge National Laboratory pledged $10,000 “signing bonuses” to lure top science teachers to Tennessee, up to five a year.

Meanwhile, Greeneville businessman Scott Niswonger said his Niswonger Foundation has started offering bonuses to the best-qualified teachers to teach lagging students in summer school and college scholarships to graduates.

Niswonger proposed a “distinguished professionals in schools program” that would allow math and science experts from private enterprise to teach part time and scholarship contracts for those willing to teach in Tennessee after graduation.

“I am asking you to roll up your sleeves and get out your checkbook,” he said.

William “Tinker” Kelly of Nashville, who heads the nonpartisan business roundtable, said, “The time has come to act with commitment and with determination.”

“Do we want our children to have a decent job? Do we want them to have a have a high quality of life and opportunity? Do we want them to have a high standard of living? I believe the answer to that is, yes. But it takes action to answer these questions.”

Bredesen said some efforts already have begun, pointing to the Teach Tennessee program starting this fall that will recruit mid-career professionals in private industry to become teachers.

“Right now, we’re throwing around a lot of ideas as we brainstorm how to give every student the foundation they need to succeed in college or work,” he said.

Under consideration:

— College or workplace readiness testing in 9th or 10th grade followed by remedial courses if needed before leaving high school.

— Requiring high school freshmen to complete a five-year plan for themselves that includes one year beyond high school, to keep them motivated.

— Accelerated career or technical institute partnerships that lead to industry recognized certification. “We are real good at training people to weld, (but) I am not sure if welding jobs are the future, and conversely there is an incessant demand for people in the health care industry,” the governor said.

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Tennessee Business Roundtable: http://tbroundtable.org