Today, the Tennessee Education Association (TEA) proudly commemorates 160 years of unwavering commitment to advancing the public education profession and ensuring the best possible education for all students.

“Founded in 1865 as the Tennessee State Teachers Association, TEA has stood strong through every challenge and opportunity to build stronger schools, stronger communities, and a stronger Tennessee,” said TEA President Tanya T. Coats. “Educating generations of Tennesseans, many of whom have gone on to lead on the global stage, Tennessee’s educators remain true to our mission: to protect and advocate for our students, our profession, and our members to create great public schools that prepare everyone for success in a global society.”

For 160 years, TEA has championed policies and protections that strengthen public education and elevate the teaching profession. Key milestones include:

• 1947 – Enactment of Tennessee’s first teacher sick leave law

• 1981 – Authorization of the statewide sick leave bank

• 1986 – Sixty minutes per week planning time for K-8 teachers mandated

• 1992 – Passage of mandatory kindergarten in Tennessee

• 2023 – Unanimous passage by the Tennessee General Assembly of six-week paid parental leave for public school teachers and staff, following years of TEA advocacy

“Looking at the long list of achievements, earned through the tireless work of public-school educators, makes me incredibly proud,” Coats said. “While we pause to celebrate this anniversary, we also recognize the important work that lies ahead.”

Among TEA’s current priorities is supporting legislation that reimagines Tennessee’s approach to standardized testing, teacher evaluations, tenure laws, and educator compensation. A legislative committee is actively reviewing these proposals this week.

“TEA strongly supports the freedom to teach as a means of creating additional instructional time while also decreasing emphasis on the use of high-stakes standardized tests to measure student learning and teacher effectiveness,” Coats said. “As TEA celebrates 160 years of standing up for great public schools, we also celebrate the committee that is meeting this week to discuss important concepts around the proper role of assessment, compensation, and how to recruit and retain the best educators for Tennessee’s students.”

As TEA members across the state prepare to welcome students into a new school year, they remain committed to serving as thought partners in building a stronger Tennessee through equitable, high-quality public education.

“We celebrate this anniversary not just as a milestone, but as a reminder of our enduring responsibility: to ensure every student receives a great public education and every educator is supported in delivering it,” Coats said.

To honor this historic milestone, TEA invites educators, parents, and community leaders across the state to post on social media about how public education impacted their lives and how they view the role of public schools in shaping Tennessee’s future.

Join the celebration on social media using #BuildingStronger and #TEAeducators.