Former Tennessee Department of Education Leader Joins Teachstone as Director of Strategic Partnerships

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Teachstone, developer of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®) included in 23 states' Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) and used by Head Start programs nationwide, today announced the appointment of former Tennessee Department of Education leader Dr. Darlene Estes-Del Re as the Director of Strategic Partnerships.

In this role, Dr. Estes-Del Re will represent Teachstone as a collaborative partner in strategic local, state, and national education organizations, joining with other stakeholders to improve the quality of, expand access to, and increase funding for early childhood and K-12 education. She aims to listen to the field and bring their voices and perspectives to the organization.

"From the classroom to the board room, Dr. Estes-Del Re has dedicated her career to ensuring that every child, every day, has access to the high-quality interactions we know matter most for their success," said Teachstone Co-Founder and CEO Bridget Hamre. "Our partnerships are critical to our mission, and we look forward to Dr. Estes-Del Re's leadership and expertise in helping Teachstone ensure it remains responsive and innovative into the future."

Dr. Estes-Del Re joins Teachstone after serving as the Assistant Commissioner of Early Learning with the Tennessee Department of Education, where she helped define, measure, and spread quality early learning practices across settings and funding models. Collaborating with a diverse set of stakeholders, she led successful initiatives to enhance the quality of Voluntary Pre-K and increase the number of children prepared to enter kindergarten. Moreover, she was instrumental in developing early learning school closure and reopening toolkits, resources, and supports during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It takes a village to ensure every child has access to the care and education they deserve—warm, inclusive, organized learning environments; meaningful adult-child interactions; high-quality, engaging instruction," Dr. Estes-Del Re said. "I welcome the opportunity to engage new and existing partners in conversations about their strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and successful results."

Dr. Estes-Del Re began her career as a kindergarten teacher and held teaching and leadership positions at various public and nonpublic school settings. She also spent time advancing the early childhood teaching and workforce through her service as an Adjunct Professor for Champlain College of Vermont, Pacific Oaks College of California, and Belmont University of Tennessee.

Dr. Estes-Del Re holds a Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education from Walden University, Master of Education degree in Pre-K to 12 Instructional and Curriculum Effectiveness from Trevecca Nazarene University, and Master of Science in Higher Education Administration and Leadership from Kaplan University.

About Teachstone
Teachstone® was founded in 2008 to deliver the Classroom Assessment Scoring System® nationwide and around the globe. Developed through years of research, the CLASS® observation tool measures interactions between teachers and children, which have been shown to drive learning and lifelong achievement. CLASS, adopted as part of the federal Head Start monitoring protocol in 2010, is used to assess the effectiveness of teacher-student interactions. Teachstone's CLASS tool is making a difference in classrooms in 50 countries worldwide. For information visit www.teachstone.com.

SOURCE Teachstone

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