Together with CLEE

With over 35 years of experience, the Center for Learning, Education & Employment (CLEE) is honored to serve 100% of counties in Tennessee through a diverse portfolio of projects that advance continuous improvement and promote equitable access in education, workforce development, and lifelong learning. Thanks to your support, we’re able to innovate, collaborate, and build systems that truly transform lives, for all to thrive.

In 2024, CLEE made a meaningful impact across communities statewide. This newsletter provides a snapshot of that progress—celebrating what we’ve achieved together. Your partnership continues to fuel change that is both immediate and lasting.

Thanks to our incredible partners and supporters, this past year has been one of growth, innovation, and lasting impact:

To better reflect our core focus areas, we adopted a new name: Center for Learning, Education & Employment (CLEE). This name highlights our leadership in adult learning, education, and workforce development. Alongside this change, we updated our mission, vision, and values—reaffirming our commitment to relationships, inclusion, excellence, growth, and empowerment. Learn more at clee.utk.edu.

We promoted three outstanding team members, welcomed nine new hires, and supported team members pursuing doctoral studies—expanding our capacity to serve schools, communities, and individuals across Tennessee.

CLEE secured a new three-year contract with the Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation. This allows us to continue training professionals in Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) programs to better support individuals with disabilities in maximizing their employment potential. CLEE now also facilitates the TN State Rehabilitation Council, further advancing accessibility and advocacy efforts.

2024 Impact:

• 1,852 VR and community rehabilitation providers trained

• 45 statewide training events conducted

CLEE leads the coordination of the Tennessee Technical Assistance Network (TN-TAN), ensuring Tennessee schools and families receive timely, high-quality support and resources to improve outcomes for students with disabilities, ages 3-22.
2024 Impact:

• 392 trainings with 10,841 attendees from 146 districts

• 7,933 online learning modules completed by 635 educators

• 1,430 resources downloaded, a 424% increase from 2023

Our work through the Preschool Access for All Learning Network (AALN) and CLEE’s Preschool Improvement work has significantly increased inclusion and access for young children.
2024 Impact:

• 612 preschool educators participated in regional summer training sessions

• Obion County saw a rise in students with disabilities spending 80% or more of their day in general education increasing from 30% to 81%

• Delivered targeted coaching, CLASS® observations, and Pyramid Model training to build inclusive classroom practice

CLEE’s K–8 Access for All Learning Network (AALN) continues to drive access to high-quality core literacy and mathematics instruction for students with disabilities across Tennessee.
2024 Impact:

• 87% of students in AALN districts now spend 80%+ of their day in general education (compared to 75% statewide)

Project RAISE is transforming mental health access in rural districts by recruiting and retaining school-based mental health providers.
2024 Impact:

• 160 providers placed across 42 rural districts

• Supporting over 202,000 students statewide

Our event logistics team coordinated high-impact events for educators and professionals across the state.
2024 Impact:

• 24 major events, engaging thousands of participants

• Impacting TDOE initiatives such as Coordinated School Health, Teaching All Students, Career and Technical Education, and more

• 90–99% participant satisfaction

• $120k+ in exhibitor revenue raised for multiple institutes

CLEE team members presented at leading conferences across the country—amplifying the reach and influence of our work.
Highlights include:

• Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Professional Development Community of Practice

• National Rural Education Forum

• ETSU Equity & Inclusion Conference

• UT Grand Challenges Summit

We’re proud to share that multiple proposals have already been accepted for 2025 national conferences, expanding our reach even further in the year ahead.

By donating to CLEE, you contribute to:

🔧 Developing impactful professional learning opportunities

🔑Strengthening accessibility in education and employment

🔍 Conducting research that informs real-world solutions

🤝 Building partnerships that drive meaningful change

Be a part of the impact—donate today and help us shape a future where all individuals have limitless opportunities to thrive. Donations may also be used toward an endowment, ensuring long-term stability and sustainability for CLEE’s mission-driven work.

Thank you for your commitment to education, employment, and adult learning. Your partnership fuels meaningful change, and we are grateful to have you alongside us on this journey!