Lipscomb University’s nationally recognized teacher and leader prep program among the most effective in Tennessee for 14th consecutive year

Kim Chaudoin  |  02/22/2026

Lipscomb University’s College of Education has again been recognized as one of Tennessee’s most effective teacher and leader preparation programs. For the 14th consecutive year, Lipscomb earned high marks on the Tennessee State Board of Education’s Educator Preparation Report Card.

Released today in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the 2025 report card evaluates how well Tennessee’s educator preparation providers equip new teachers and leaders for success in the state’s classrooms.

Once again, state data show Lipscomb’s graduates are among the most effective educators in Tennessee. Lipscomb was one of 15 programs out of 43 providers statewide to earn the report card’s highest overall rating — exceeds expectations — underscoring the consistent quality of its teacher and leader preparation. Lipscomb also graduates more teachers each year than any other private university in Tennessee and is the state’s second-largest producer of school leaders among private institutions.

“Tennessee needs outstanding teachers and school leaders now more than ever, and we’re committed to strengthening that pipeline with graduates who are prepared, effective and mission-minded,” said Lipscomb President Candice McQueen. “For 14 consecutive years, this report has affirmed that Lipscomb educators are making a real difference for students across the state, including in high-need subjects and communities. That impact is a strong reflection of the excellence of our College of Education.”

Report card scores are based on data compiled about an institution’s completers from the 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic cycles who are teaching and leading in public schools systems in Tennessee. The Educator Preparation Report Card captures the abilities of Tennessee preparation providers to train new teachers and leaders for success in Tennessee’s classrooms and provides an overall picture of how well each provider is able to prepare effective teachers and to meet state goals.

“We’re proud that the state’s data continue to confirm Lipscomb-prepared teachers and leaders enter classrooms ready to serve, lead and make a measurable difference for students across Tennessee,” said Leslie Cowell, dean of the College of Education. “Our faculty equip future educators with the knowledge, skills and hands-on experience to be effective from day one, especially in the areas Tennessee needs most. When our graduates thrive, students and communities benefit — and that purpose drives our work. We take seriously the responsibility to place highly effective professionals in classrooms who meet learners’ needs and strengthen outcomes.”

Tennessee has produced an Educator Preparation Report Card since 2009. The 2025 Report Card contains four scored domains and one unscored domain (satisfaction)

• candidate assessment, which evaluates Lipscomb’s performance in preparing candidates to pass the pedagogical and content-area assessments to obtain a Tennessee teaching license;
• candidate profile, which evaluates an EPP’s ability to recruit a strong, diverse cohort of candidates and prepare them to teach in the content area of greatest need. Lipscomb  exceeds expectations in this metric;
• employment, which evaluates Lipscomb’s performance in preparing educators to begin and remain teaching in Tennessee public schools. Lipscomb exceeds expectations in this metric; and
• provider impact, which measures the effectiveness of a provider’s cohort members in Tennessee public school classrooms. Lipscomb exceeds expectations in this metric.

In addition, the report card data indicate that Lipscomb is also a leader in preparing candidates to teach in high-need areas. Lipscomb led the state in producing teachers with secondary math and special education endorsements, produced the second-highest number of educators with an English as a Second Language endorsement, and ranked third in producing educators with secondary science and world languages endorsements.

Lipscomb’s College of Education teacher licensure candidate pass rate data indicates a  92.9% content assessment pass rate. Lipscomb also posted a Praxis leader licensure pass rate of 97.8% for 2025. In the employment domain, Lipscomb also received high marks with 88.8% of its education graduates finding a job in a Tennessee public school within a year of graduation, which exceeds the state average, with a 95% second-year retention rate.

Each domain consists of two to six metrics, and the report includes three years of provider data. The 2025 teacher prep report included 582 Lipscomb completers, data showing Lipscomb to be the largest teacher preparation program among all private universities in the state and the fifth largest overall.

The goal of the Educator Preparation Report Card is to create a user-friendly tool that provides focused information about providers, the effectiveness of graduates and promotes stakeholder conversations about continuous improvement. The 2025 Educator Preparation Report Card is a tool for use by local school districts, Tennessee’s many teacher preparation providers, and aspiring teachers. It includes multiple measures to offer an overall picture of a college, university or preparation provider’s success in meeting Tennessee’s goals for instructing effective teachers.

The report card provides focused information about the effectiveness of graduates and is designed to promote continuous improvement of preparation programs and highlight the importance of strong partnerships with school districts. To that end, the report card also provides transparency and metrics to show progress toward meeting key state needs, including a teacher workforce that better reflects the student population and addresses high-demand subject areas. The 2025 Educator Preparation Report Card can be found online here.

Lipscomb University’s College of Education is consistently recognized for having one of the most effective teacher preparation programs in Tennessee and in the nation. Last year, Lipscomb was named by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) as the state’s first early childhood education apprenticeship hub. This designation positions Lipscomb at the forefront of addressing critical workforce needs in early childhood education while providing aspiring educators with a fully funded pathway to a bachelor’s degree. In June 2023, it was named among the top in the nation by the National Council on Teacher Quality for preparing future teachers in the science of reading. Lipscomb has also developed a number of Grow Your Own partnerships in high-need disciplines and districts across Tennessee. For more information, visit www.lipscomb.edu/education.