Tennessee Educator Survey
For over a decade, Basis has led the design and administration of the annual Tennessee Educator Survey (TES), the nation’s longest-running annual statewide educator survey.
Why Teacher Voices Matter
Collaborating closely with educational leaders, researchers, and policymakers, Basis crafts the survey content and administers it to more than 80,000 certified Tennessee educators annually. The TES is an integral resource within the state’s education landscape, enabling practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to track progress on measures like school climate and culture, inform revisions to major policy initiatives like the statewide educator evaluation system, and assist policymakers and practitioners in making data-informed decisions.
The political and policy churn within K-12 education can make it challenging to understand true, long-term trends. Each year, thousands of Tennessee educators provide direct feedback on what works—and what doesn’t—in schools across the state. At Basis, our job is to create those surveys and provide analysis and understanding of responses. The results inform state and district decisions on a range of issues, including professional development, curriculum, behavior programs, and retention strategies.
Educator feedback isn’t just collected–it’s acted on.
Statistics
Impact in Action
Literary Success:
78% of ELA teachers report they receive ample training to use their curriculum effectively, a direct result of turning TES feedback into measurable action.
Tutoring That Works:
63% of teachers report noticeable academic improvement in students who receive high-dosage, low-ratio tutoring, with elementary teachers noting even higher success rates (77% in kindergarten and 72% in grades 1-5).
Supporting New Teachers:
The survey revealed that 66% of early-career teachers receive formal mentorship, leading to the development of enhanced new teacher support programs statewide.
“The TES gives us a rare, system-wide lens into what’s actually happening inside classrooms—directly from the people who are there every day. It’s one of our most powerful tools for understanding teacher morale, instructional practices, and policy implementation.”
— Tennessee Education Leader
TES Participants stats by branch...
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ELA
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MATH
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EARLY CAREER
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CTE
50%+ Response Rate:
Consistent, unprecedented educator engagement to people who care from educators who care.
80% of Eligible Districts
receive individualized results for individualized needs to guide local decision-making.
5 Core Survey Sections
designed for specific educational needs, plus 6 specialized teacher branches and 3 randomized modules
42,000+ Educators
participate annually, representing one of the largest sustained educator feedback efforts in the nation
Data That Drives Decisions
The Tennessee Educator Survey is one of the most powerful tools Tennessee educational leaders have for understanding what’s happening inside classrooms—directly from the people who are there every day. It provides a rare, system-wide lens into teacher morale, instructional practices, school climate, professional learning, and policy implementation.