Teacher Tenure in Tennessee: An Examination of Principal Perceptions Post–Race to the Top

Abstract

This quantitative study examined perceptions of K-12 public school principals toward the Tennessee teacher tenure law under Senate Bill 1528 and how principals perceived that the law has affected their ability to evaluate and retain effective teachers. The Tennessee Teacher Tenure Principal Perception Survey was adopted and slightly modified from Davidson’s (1998) study of principal perceptions of teacher tenure in Tennessee. Quantitative results found that principals characterized the teacher tenure law as having a positive impact on their ability to evaluate and retain effective teachers. Results from this study highlight that future research and reform should focus on the use of stakeholder and principal perception data in policy initiatives and education agendas at the school building, community, and state levels.