InformTN is an essential data-driven planning tool offered by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE). Integrated within the ePlan suite, it empowers school districts and individual schools to analyze performance metrics, develop comprehensive improvement plans, and fulfill state-mandated accountability requirements. Let’s explore how InformTN streamlines educational strategy and planning across Tennessee.
1. What Is InformTN and Why It Matters
InformTN is a secure online platform embedded in TDOE’s broader ePlan system, designed to support district and school leaders in crafting annual improvement plans based on trustworthy, data-rich insights
It serves three critical functions:
Data Exploration: Users can access metrics like chronic absenteeism, academic performance, discipline, staffing, and more
Needs Analysis: The tool enables stakeholders to capture key insights, analyze root causes, and prioritize areas for improvement
Implementation Support: Districts and schools can develop goals, strategies, and action steps directly in the platform, then review and submit plans through to approval
Through InformTN, Tennessee ensures that educational planning is transparent, data-informed, and collaborative—allowing educators to improve outcomes with clarity and context.
2. Accessing and Navigating InformTN
Access to InformTN requires a TDOE Single Sign-On (SSO) and a designated planning-related role within the ePlan system
Key user roles include:
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LEA Authorized Representative: Approves and submits district plans.
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School Plan Reviewer/LEA Data Entry: Manages school-level planning.
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LEA User Access Administrator: Assigns roles and manages platform access
Once logged in, users land on a dashboard interface showing plan status, messages, and navigation tools like the planning calendar and school plan overview
3. Key Functionalities: Explore Data & Analyze Needs
A standout feature of InformTN is the Explore Data section, which organizes metrics into four main domains:
- Climate & Access: Track chronic absenteeism rates, discipline statistics, and access indicators.
- Educators: View staffing characteristics, retention trends, and evaluation data.
- Academic Achievement & Growth: Monitor success specifically through performance rates and academic growth (e.g., TVAAS).
- College & Career Readiness: Analyze indicators like ACT scores, graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment
Users can interact with dashboards, compare data against benchmarks (state averages, comparable districts), and download visualizations for presentation or reflection
Within Analyze Needs, educators capture insights, group related issues, prioritize them, and conduct a root cause analysis using templates like “5 Whys” to guide strategy development
4. Developing, Reviewing & Submitting Educational Plans
After identifying key needs, InformTN supports the development of thoughtful, actionable plans:
- Develop Plan: Define goals, attach strategies, and set action steps with responsibilities and timelines.
- Review & Submit: Check plan completeness and submit for review—schools arrive via principals, districts via authorized representatives
The system flags incomplete sections with visual indicators and ensures that essential components such as root-cause analysis and prioritized goals are included before submission
Timelines like the 2024–25 planning window are embedded within InformTN, helping educators stay on schedule—and adjust as needed if feedback requires resubmission
5. Supporting Resources & Technical Help
Recognizing that platforms can be complex, TDOE provides robust support materials:
Technical User Guide: A walkthrough for navigation, features, and plan components
Webinar Series: Explores topics like data dashboards, planning steps, review processes, and planning cycles
Help Desk: For SSO issues—email DT.Support@tn.gov; for role setup—contact district administrators or ePlan help; for platform-specific support—inform-tn-help@sip.eldarion.com
Chrome Compatibility Tip: If users experience limited functionality, try using Incognito mode to bypass harmful extensions
These resources ensure educators can navigate InformTN effectively and address challenges as they arise.
6. The Impact and Future of InformTN
InformTN represents Tennessee’s commitment to data-driven, transparent education planning, helping implement high-impact strategies through a modern digital system.
Impact highlights:
- Offers comparative insights across schools and districts.
- Encourages reflective planning and collaborative decision-making.
- Promotes accountability and strategy alignment with educational standards.
Future possibilities include:
- Expanded data integration for richer insights.
- Enhanced user interface for quicker navigation.
- Interactive dashboards for real-time monitoring and community sharing.
- Deeper integration with funding and progress tracking systems
By continuing to evolve, InformTN can remain a trusted tool for educational improvement across Tennessee.
Conclusion
InformTN is central to Tennessee’s educational planning, helping districts and schools analyze, strategize, and act based on reliable data. From exploring performance metrics to developing strategic plans and submitting them seamlessly, InformTN ensures that educational leadership is modern, responsive, and effective.
