About the Program
The Ayers Institute for Teacher Learning and Innovation, at Lipscomb University, exists to improve teacher performance and student outcomes throughout Tennessee, with a particular emphasis on teacher and leader development in turn-around schools and rural school systems.
Established in 2012 as a partnership between The Ayers Foundation and Lipscomb University’s College of Education, the Institute was initiated as a result of Dean Candice McQueen’s vision for creating a high-quality clearinghouse for best practices, coupled with exceptional learning opportunities and professional training, to support and develop our best teachers and leaders across the state, especially in more challenged areas. The Institute also seeks to incubate and develop new instructional practices that best promote student outcomes and have the potential to become scalable. The Institute was made possible by the generous $1 million initial gift from Jim and Janet Ayers. As president of The Ayers Foundation, Janet Ayers is a respected reform-minded philanthropist who supports initiatives that have immediate impact for teachers and students in the state of Tennessee.