Interview: TN Ed Chief Penny Schwinn on Her Radical Plan Using Schools to Bring Social Services to Rural Areas — and Her Whole-Child Approach to Training Teachers
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Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn’s first year on the job is filled with typical strategies that a top new teacher would employ, such as a listening tour, student focus groups, and a comprehensive school transformation plan. However, the context of K-12 education policy in Tennessee is far from ordinary. Numerous schools in the state exist in remote mountain communities with limited social support, rampant substance abuse, and few economic opportunities. These schools often serve as the heart of their communities as the primary or sole public building available.
Coming from a family of teachers, Schwinn began her career with Teach for America in Baltimore, later founding a charter school in her hometown of Sacramento, and recently serving as the Chief of Academics for the Texas Education Agency. However, her tenure in Texas faced criticism when state auditors raised concerns about her handling of a contract. Although Schwinn denies involvement in the contracting process, auditors noted that she failed to disclose her existing relationship with a subcontractor linked to a business hired by the agency to analyze special education records.
In recent years, Tennessee has faced challenges in conducting its annual state-mandated exams, which may have led Governor Bill Lee to emphasize Schwinn’s expertise in data and testing as a reason for her appointment. At 37 years old, she holds the distinction of being the youngest education commissioner in Tennessee history and the first person of color to hold the position.
Ten years after a comprehensive education reform in Tennessee that included higher academic standards, an accountability system controversially tying teacher evaluations to student performance growth, and mixed success in academic progress and political backlash, Schwinn faces even tougher problems. Her ambitious three-pronged plan focuses not only on academics but also on bringing mental health, wellness, and social services to rural communities through schools. Additionally, with a significant portion of Tennessee teachers approaching retirement age, she aims to ensure their replacements are skilled in addressing the holistic needs of students.
Governor Lee expressed strong support for Schwinn’s plan in his State of the State address, requesting over $600 million in new public education spending in the upcoming fiscal year. If approved, this budget proposal would fund scholarships to train 1,000 new teachers annually, provide salary increases for all teachers in the state, expand a school-based behavioral health program to all 95 counties, and allocate $250 million to establish a K-12 mental health fund for students.
In her conversation with Beth Hawkins, Schwinn discusses the challenges of implementing social-emotional learning in conservative, Southern schools, her vision of free teacher training, and strategies for equipping schools to address emotional disturbances that were traditionally outside the realm of education. Please note that this interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
: You’ve been in this position for a year now and have unveiled an extensive strategic plan with innovative ideas. How did you develop this plan?
Schwinn: I dedicated significant time to traveling throughout the state. Within the first 4½ months, I visited over 500 classrooms. We also conducted a statewide survey for educators, and I personally read every single response. We received over 35,000 responses, and what we consistently heard from every corner of the state, regardless of zip code, income level, or regional context, was that addressing the holistic needs of students was the top concern and priority for Tennessee.
The second concern was ensuring that we have enough high-quality teachers. Currently, one-third of our teachers in Tennessee are eligible for retirement, out of the total 65,000 teachers we have.
Impressive.
There is no way to effectively consider the complete child, there is no way to promote literacy, and there is no way to improve the teaching profession if we fail to prioritize the two most important groups: the students who sit in our classrooms and the educators who guide them every day.
We took a bold approach by focusing on the well-being of the whole child, which was considered a risk in the conservative Deep South.
In many areas, the concepts of social-emotional learning, wraparound services, and student wellness supports are widely accepted and uncontroversial.
In Tennessee, and to a large extent in Texas as well, many families firmly believe that the responsibility for a child’s development lies with the parents. They view schools as primarily focused on academic standards. Crossing these boundaries is seen as intruding on the roles of the state, the school, and the family.
We are aware that teaching a kindergartner to read goes beyond simply teaching phonemic awareness. It involves the science of reading, which we prioritize in our strategic plan. We understand that fostering a love for reading and effective developmental practices go hand in hand. By combining these approaches, we create the optimum context and environment for a child to learn.
A key goal is for every teacher in the state to be dual certified in their subject area and special education. This is because 98 percent of teachers have a student with a disability in their classroom, and all teachers have students who require differentiated instruction. The strategies learned in special education programs should be available to all teachers.
We strive to strike a balance between Tennessee’s cultural norms and values while ensuring we support the holistic development of every child. Our aim is to graduate students with degrees that hold significance and set them on a path to fulfill their goals. Given the state’s strong emphasis on family and family responsibility, we believe that supporting the whole child aligns with these values.
Let me share a brief story: There was a young girl named Anna who lived outside Nashville. She shared her perspective on middle school, emphasizing the importance of having a best friend and a trusted adult to turn to when faced with problems. She believed that having these two things made her feel better and capable of overcoming any challenge.
While it may seem obvious that all children have friends and supportive adults, a closer look reveals that many of our students lack a peer group that provides the necessary support. Moreover, many of them do not have a trusted adult, whether at school or at home, whom they can confide in during difficult times.
These challenges are further compounded by the geographic obstacles we face. The majority of our districts are rural, and a significant percentage of our students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. These areas lack economic development and infrastructure, and their populations heavily rely on government aid. In some counties, comprehensive hospitals are non-existent, and residents must travel long distances for basic necessities like groceries and medical care.
These districts and communities are often located in remote mountainous regions. There are cases where there is only one route in and out, which can be severely affected by extreme weather conditions. This resulted in students being unable to attend school. Access to resources and services is limited across the state, particularly in these underserved communities.
Providing resources is not only transformative for these communities but also life-changing. They gain access to support systems that those in more populated areas or states with better funding and infrastructure take for granted.
This initiative is not only about equity but also about promoting community health and wellness. Without addressing these issues, we cannot effectively tackle the challenges of addiction and poverty that persist in Tennessee.
After thorough examination of this complex landscape, we have devised a strategic plan with interconnected initiatives that is truly unique.
The second pillar encompassing the entire well-being of the child involves reevaluating our approach to resources. It consists of three main components. The first component focuses specifically on the mental health of the whole child. The second component, which we refer to as C3, revolves around civics, citizenship, and character education. The third component addresses the needs of special populations.
Our findings from both data analysis and conversations indicate that there has been a significant increase in students identified with disabilities or requiring additional support, particularly related to behavioral issues. Our teachers, however, feel ill-equipped to provide the necessary support. In certain counties in Tennessee, there is only one mental health professional available, serving the entire county.
In the state of Tennessee, the two primary places that almost everyone frequents are public schools and the DMV. Especially in rural communities, schools serve as the central hub for various activities such as meetings and voting. Utilizing schools as a space to disseminate information was the most accessible approach to bring people together. Therefore, we are transforming family resource centers, which traditionally provided information, to become resource hubs that offer access to resources on a county level rather than just broader regions.
For the first time, we are coordinating resources across state agencies to address the healthcare needs of low-income families, mental health services, and addiction support, all of which pose significant challenges in Tennessee. By consolidating these state agencies under one roof within each county, we can provide comprehensive support that includes physical and mental health services, as well as counseling support.
Locating these hubs at the district level allows us to utilize school transportation outside of regular hours to transport students and families. We can repurpose school buses to ensure that students have access to necessary services. As the hubs are at the district level, we are working with state Medicaid to ensure that these services can be billed to TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program.
To streamline the referral process, we are developing an online tool that enables teachers facing student challenges to quickly refer them to the site-based coordinator. This coordinator can then reach out to the family and connect them to the local resource hub.
Within the next five years, our goal is to ensure that every child receives same-day services free of charge, relieving teachers from the burden of providing extensive support. Creating this one-stop shop is crucial, just like when we search for hotels and airline tickets, where we go to one place and find everything we need.
In essence, schools play a unique role as central locations that can facilitate collaboration between various agencies, unlike other places in the state.
In the state of Tennessee, the two primary places almost everyone relies on are public schools and the DMV.
Especially in rural communities, schools serve as the lifeblood where meetings take place and voting occurs. This made schools the easiest choice for bringing people together and disseminating information. By utilizing this approach, we can quickly reach the vast majority of the population, around 80 to 90 percent.
Consider Laurel Bloomery, located in the far northeast of the state. It is extremely challenging to access. Imagine a child in crisis in that area. It would be almost impossible to provide same-day services comparable to those available in metro Nashville.
While building this statewide system, we are also faced with a wave of teacher retirements. Although it is a daunting challenge, it presents an opportunity to train new teachers who can navigate this complex educational landscape. To facilitate this, we have implemented "Grow Your Own" teacher training programs, where districts identify and train their own future teachers. This ensures that educators possess the necessary skill sets required by their specific districts.
We aim to create multiple pathways into the teaching profession, while maintaining high expectations. Ideally, becoming a teacher in Tennessee should be cost-free.
The "Grow Your Own" program exemplifies one of the approaches we are taking. In our pilot district, students from local high schools can obtain their university degree for free in just three years. Throughout this period, they work alongside highly rated teachers in the classroom, benefiting from a reduced student-to-teacher ratio. Additionally, they receive a salary for three years while learning under the guidance of their mentor teacher.
Participating students not only graduate with a college degree without any financial burden but also possess improved qualifications in elementary and special education. Furthermore, they receive healthcare benefits and a pension during their three-year training period. Currently, this program trains 50 teachers, but our plan is to expand it statewide, with three universities already committed to the initiative.
In our teacher preparation programs, we are closely collaborating to discuss a sequence of courses that focuses on understanding behavior management practices, developmental and behavioral expectations, and strategies and pedagogy to cater to students at different stages. This will be a standard part of our training as we prepare a significant influx of new teachers. The strategic plan aims to ensure that we are not working in isolation, but rather in a way that guarantees we have the necessary personnel to support all the programmatic work we are doing on a long-term, sustainable basis.
You mentioned that there is a current national debate about popular perceptions versus the realities at the school level. What does your data indicate?
We have observed an increase in the number of students identified with emotional disturbance. There has also been a rise in the percentage of students identified in the early grades. Moreover, incidents of discipline have increased.
There has been a significant uptick in the number of students bringing firearms to school. While bullying incidents have reached a plateau, they are still above the national average. We are also seeing instances of depression and other behaviors typically associated with adolescence being reported earlier and earlier.
"These are districts and communities located in remote mountainous areas. In some cases, there is only one road in and out of these areas. Due to a severe storm, the road was closed, making it impossible for students from those areas to attend school. Access to resources and services across the state is scarce for many of our communities. Providing resources is not just a game-changer, but it has the potential to change lives."
Every child presents their own set of challenges. What does this specific student need from both the school community and the broader community? We are hearing more about doctors focusing on holistic care for patients. In education, we haven’t necessarily done a great job of that.
Often, we identify a disability and provide interventions or services for that specific issue. Alternatively, if a child is struggling with a particular standard, we direct our attention solely to that issue. However, we need to take a step back and ask ourselves, "What does this child need in order to thrive?"
We are developing a state monitoring system that awards schools with bronze, silver, and gold badges to demonstrate that they have created an environment that is supportive and safe for all children, addressing their academic and developmental needs.
This system will also benefit us because there are numerous social-emotional learning curricula available, but they may not be suitable for Tennessee. Therefore, we are creating something specifically tailored to our state.
We are launching this initiative in real time this year. We have been collaborating with the Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services on a mental health badge. Through this, we will assess the quality of mental health services and support provided within each school community and award a badge accordingly.
This is just the beginning. While it may be a contentious starting point, it is meant to ignite conversations and show that we are genuinely committed to making a real difference in this state.
Your predecessors implemented significant changes that were not always popular. Do you believe the state is ready for you and your plans?
For me, this work is both personal and professional as I have three children of my own. I also consider the millions of children in this state as mine, and I hope they receive the support they need to become their best selves and achieve their dreams. If we do not prioritize high-quality academics, a thriving educator workforce, and the well-being of the whole child, then we are missing the fundamental components of a quality public education. It is a privilege to be able to do this work, but it is undoubtedly challenging.
