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OREA Awards

The Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) has issued reports covering a wide range of policy topics since 1994, from education to health care to criminal justice. These reports have informed policy debates within the state legislature, led to changes in state law, and sparked the creation of state initiatives to address critical needs.

OREA is committed to producing objective and accurate research, evaluation, and analysis to inform public policy discussions and decisions in the Tennessee General Assembly. OREA supports the mission of the Comptroller's Office, "to make government work better," through its commitment to objective and accurate research, evaluation, and analysis to inform public policy discussions and decisions in the Tennessee General Assembly.  

NLPES Excellence in Research Methods Award Winner
This award is presented to a legislative office that has used exemplary research methods in an evaluation or audit report.

  • Tennessee Promise Evaluation (2021)

NLPES Impact Award Winner
This award is given for evaluations or audit reports that result in documented public policy changes, program improvements, dollar savings, or other public impacts.

  • Tennessee Promise Evaluation (2023)
  • Special Report: Sex Week at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2022)
  • Corporal Punishment in Tennessee (2021)
  • Educator Sexual Misconduct Involving Students in Tennessee Schools (2020)
  • 2017-18 BEP Verification (2019) 
  • Tennessee Charter School Funding (2018)
  • Tennessee Transportation Funding: Challenges and Options (2016)
  • Autism in Tennessee; Part 1 - An Introduction to Issues and Data Collection Methods (2012)
  • Financing Health Care for the Uninsured: Who Bears the Burden in Tennessee? (2008)
  • Mothers and Babies: The Heath of Tennessee's Future (2007)
  • Hot Mix Asphalt for County Roads: Private Providers or Public Plants? (2006)
  • Seeking a Way Out: Services and Challenges Affecting Tennessee's Poor (2005)
  • The State of Tennessee's Jails (2004)
  • Nursing Home Regulation and Funding: A Resident-Oriented Approach (2003)
  • Teaching Kids to Read: Is Tennessee Doing Enough? (2002)

LRL Notable Document Award Winner
This award recognizes excellence in documents that explore topics of interest to legislators and staff, and present substantive material in an outstanding format.

  • Comptroller Survey Concerning Wages of Direct Support Professionals (2020)
  • Opioid Prescribing Patterns and Prescriber Discipline (2020)
  • Special Report: Sex Week at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2019)
  • Students in Tennessee Instructed by Consecutive Ineffective Teachers (2019)
  • Every Student Succeeds Act "The ESSA Collection" (2016)