David Mansouri, president and CEO of the State Collaborative on Reforming Education, released a statement about the selection of Dr. Penny Schwinn as Tennessee’s next commissioner of education.

“Penny Schwinn has a track record of making decisions based on what’s best for students and innovatively tackling the kinds of challenges facing our state.

“Tennessee educators need deep support, and Dr. Schwinn has walked in their shoes as a teacher and leader at the school, district, and state levels and in traditional, public charter, and state-led turnaround schools. Tennessee must give students with the greatest needs a great education, and Dr. Schwinn has passionately and effectively championed these students throughout her career. Assessment delivery must become first in class, and Dr. Schwinn has experience administering assessment programs in two states.

“Dr. Schwinn has spent her career in the trenches working for kids, showing through words and actions that she is driven to prepare all students to find their routes to success after high school. We welcome her to Tennessee,” he said.

Schwinn currently serves as Chief Deputy Commissioner of Education at the Texas Education Agency.

The State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) works collaboratively with state, local and national partners to advance policies and practices for greater student success across Tennessee. We are an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan advocacy and research institution, founded in 2009 by Senator Bill Frist, M.D., former U.S. Senate Majority Leader. SCORE measures success by the academic growth and achievement of Tennessee’s students. For more information about SCORE, visit tnscore.org.