Tennessee
State Information
The purpose of this document is to capture state-by-state information of policy and guidelines related to the science of reading / evidence-based reading instruction to be presented on The Reading League Compass, a website of reliable and reputable guidance and resources for targeted stakeholder groups.
Updated 2025
Local control?
Yes, with state-approved (Tennessee Textbook Commission) curricular materials provided during each adoption year/cycle.
Has your state passed legislation and/or non-legislated rule changes related to the science of reading?
Yes. Tennessee Literacy Success Act of 2021
The act includes the requirement(s) of:
- Teacher professional development that impacts licensure.
- LEAs development of Foundational Literacy Skills Plans to TDOE and the requirement of updating if curriculum materials being used, or universal reading screener changing.
- LEAs use one of the seven (7) state-approved URS vendors. -Inclusion of a foundational literacy assessment for initial licensure teacher candidates and out of state teacher candidates.
Does your state have an approved curriculum list?
Yes, The Tennessee Textbook and Instruction Materials Quality Commission recommends an official list of textbooks and instructional materials to the Tennessee State Board of Education for approval. The Tennessee State Board of Education approves instructional materials used by LEAs. This cycle (revising academic standards and materials) repeats every 8 years.
Was evidence-aligned reading instruction a consideration for the curriculum review?
Yes.
Please describe any other instructional materials work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable
This supplemental resource follows evidenced-based research and was carefully crafted in order to build a solid foundation for pre-K through grade 2 early literacy. This supplement uses a systematic and explicit approach to instruction so that all students can gain the foundational skills necessary to become proficient readers.
Note: The TN Foundational Skills Curriculum Supplement is an open-source resource that is free and available to anyone. TN’s curriculum supplement was developed for any and all teachers, parents, higher education agencies, and others to help support students’ foundational literacy skills acquisition. You are welcome to use these free, open-source materials for personal and professional use; however, the materials may not be sold for profit. If materials are used in professional development, we ask that you give the TN Department of Education credit.
Does your state mandate or provide guidance on early screening?
T.C.A. § 49-1-229(a-b) requires LEAs to have procedures to screen for characteristics of dyslexia as part of the universal screening process and, using data-based decision making, to identify students who require dyslexia-specific interventions. While this law spans K – 12, there is a focus on early and effective identification and provision of instructional support.
Please describe any other assessment work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable
T.C.A. § 49-1-229(a)(2) outlines areas related to dyslexia that LEAs must have capacity to screen in as needed to identify students who may flag for risk for characteristics of dyslexia and require DSI.
Does your state have policy or guidance related to MTSS that incorporates information on the science of reading and/or evidence-based literacy practices?
Tennessee’s Response to Instruction and Intervention guidance incorporates evidence-based practices along with tiered supports to best meet student needs.
Does your state have policy or guidance related to instruction and/or professional development
Yes. Best for All Central resource hub and online collection provides guidance, support, and information for professional development supports and practices.
T.C.A. § 49-1-229(d) says “The department shall provide appropriate professional development resources for educators in the area of identification of and intervention methods for students with dyslexia.”
T.C.A. § 49-6-3004(c)(1)(a) says “In addition to other training and resources authorized by this chapter, the department of education shall, within available resources, collaborate with institutions of higher education to formally address dyslexia and similar reading disorders by providing kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) educators and teachers web-based or in-person training providing effective instruction for teaching students with dyslexia using appropriate scientific research and brain-based multisensory intervention methods and strategies.”
Does your state have state-developed guidance documents or training courses related to the science of reading?
Yes.
General instructional guidance documents to support implementation and sustainability practices with HQIM are located all within Best for All Central (resource and guidance hub).
- HQIM Framework
- Unit Preparation Protocol
- Lesson Internalization Protocol
Please describe any grant work that names the science of reading and/or evidence-aligned instruction including links, where applicable
The Literacy Implementation Network and Literacy Materials Implementation Support Grant are both funded by CLSD funds and the use of evidence-based strategies is a requirement.
The department also utilizes IDEA Part B federal grant funds to pay for Acceleration for All District Literacy Network and the TN TAN Technical Support Center, providing resources, professional learning, and guidance related to the Science of Reading to LEAs.
Has your state reviewed standards for alignment to the science of reading?
Yes. The Tennessee State Board of Education conducts the review process of core academic standards. The policy that guides this review process can be located, Performance model 2003 (tn.Gov).
The overview of this process and the timelines associated with the reviews for each content area with SBE can be found, Standards Review (tn.gov).
Please describe any other standards work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable
The ELA standards guides are a supplemental resource to the Tennessee ELA standards that are designed to provide instructional leaders and teachers with a deeper understanding of each standard. This understanding will enhance teachers’ ability to facilitate the use of high-quality instructional materials in the classroom. The guides include four sections for each standard:
- An unpacking of key elements of the standard
- A glossary of key terms in the standard
- Examples of how the standard can be represented in classroom tasks
- A snapshot of the vertical progression of the standard
TN English Language Development Standards
TN ELD & ELA Standards Crosswalks
The TN ELD and ELA Standards Crosswalks are a supplemental resource to the Tennessee ELD and ELA standards designed to provide instructional leaders and teachers with a deeper understanding of how language and literacy development connect. This resource strengthens educators’ ability to integrate the ELD standards into daily instruction so that English learners can access rigorous, grade-level content.
Each crosswalk includes four sections for each standard:
- Language functions that identify what students are expected to do with language to meet the standard.
- Language forms that highlight grammatical structures and conventions supporting the function.
- Academic vocabulary that points to key words and phrases tied to the demands of the standard.
- Prompting questions and sentence stems that give teachers practical tools to scaffold student language use in the classroom.
Does your state have guidance or resources for families related to the science of reading?
Yes. Families play a vital role in a student’s education and a student’s first teacher. The department is focused on transparency and providing on-demand access to actionable data and resources for Tennessee parents, families, and stakeholders to continue partnering in this essential work.
We are committed to engaging with parents and families by providing access to data from our strategic initiatives to drive positive outcomes and data-driven decisions at each level of our state’s K-12 public education system. Tennessee will continue accelerating positive learning outcomes and providing access to the best resources, instruction, and support for all students and educators.
Family as Partners Collection of Best for All Central, has resources that can be found at BFAC | Educational Content | Collection (tnedu.gov).
There are also additional family resources that are associated with the Reading 360 homepage:
Do you have policy or guidance regarding how to leverage evidence-based practices to support secondary students?
Although not legislatively required, Secondary Literacy Training is offered to support educators teaching secondary grades with knowledge about evidence-based foundational skills instruction to support students:
Does your state have state-developed guidance documents or training courses related to the science of reading and Multilingual learners?
In accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), all English learners must meet the same academic standards as their non-EL peers. Through ESL services and supports, along with rigorous, grade-level accessible instruction, students develop their English proficiency while gaining greater access to the Tennessee Academic Standards. These combined supports enable students to actively engage in learning, meaningfully participate in general education classrooms, and build the language skills necessary for academic success. Thus, if a parent waives ESL services for their child, the general education teacher is responsible for providing linguistically appropriate instructional scaffolding. This will ensure that English learners have access to English-language instructional materials.
Does your state have licensure or program approval criteria to ensure Educator Preparation Programs are aligned to the science of reading?
Yes. Educator Preparation Programs through the Tennessee Literacy Success Act of 2021, resulting in a required foundational literacy assessment (Tennessee Early Literacy Assessment) for teacher-candidates to pass with an 80% pass rate upon initial licensure.
Foundational Literacy Standards were revised and approved by the Tennessee State Board of Education for implementation in the post-secondary landscape in 2019.
Do you have a “contact us” website that we can share publicly on TRL Compass?
Please describe and link to any other work you would like to share that relates to the science of reading
Reading 360, Tennessee’s Statewide Literacy Initiative
Interactive State Map
Use the interactive state map to find descriptions of state-level policy adoption, guidance, and practices related to the science of reading. State policy may include legislation incorporating training or practices related to the science of reading or state education agency guidance regarding policy, professional development, curricula, instruction, or assessment.
Filter by specific topic area(s) to find state-specific work:
The Reading League expresses gratitude to our collaborators and associates within the state education agencies for sharing their state-specific data. This data will undergo semi-annual updates, contingent upon the availability and resources of the respective state agencies. For any inquiries, clarifications, or updates, please reach out to compass@thereadingleague.org.
