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Tennessee FireflyShining a light on education & government in Tennessee
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Tennessee Firefly

Shining a light on education & government in Tennessee

Independent journalism focused on Tennessee education policy, news, and the stories that matter to students, parents, and educators across all 95 counties.

3 free newsletters · Tennessee Firefly

Tennessee education, three ways.

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The Signal·The Beam·Friday Flicker

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LIVE
18Days to PrimaryAug 6, 2026
107Days to GeneralNov 3, 2026
1,697TN Schools trackedAll 95 counties
$21.7MRaised in 2026 governor raceAcross all qualifying candidates
Special Series · Live TrackerTennessee's Next Governor
Open the Tracker
Featured Story

School Choice Divides Candidates in East Tennessee GOP Primary

Dennis Beavers is running against the Education Freedom Scholarship program, while Senator Adam Lowe voted to expand it.

JUL 17, 2026Sky ArnoldElections
Read Full Story
School Choice Divides Candidates in East Tennessee GOP Primary

More Top Stories

Manchester Elementary Teacher Shocked to Receive Milken Educator Award
Local Education
JUL 16, 2026Zoe Kuhn

Manchester Elementary Teacher Shocked to Receive Milken Educator Award

Holly Logan received national recognition for her work helping English language learners.

Tennessee Considers Alternative Certification Options for Teachers Who Fail the Praxis
State Education
JUL 17, 2026Jacob Holley

Tennessee Considers Alternative Certification Options for Teachers Who Fail the Praxis

Supporters point toward the state's teacher shortage, while skeptics warn that loosening standards could put the state's recent academic gains at risk.

Sumner County GOP Primary Pits Different Views on School Choice
Elections
JUL 16, 2026Sky Arnold

Sumner County GOP Primary Pits Different Views on School Choice

Brian Stewart supports giving families more school options, while his opponent, Chris Hughes, has reservations about expanding them.

Live · Saturday, Jul 18

Today in Tennessee

What's happening across the state, refreshed throughout the day.

Live
1,697TN public schools tracked95counties covered142school districts132GA legislators on scorecards1,830Tennessee Firefly articles$21.7Mraised across 21 '26 governor candidates15polls tracked in governor's race44TISA / school funding stories864state-government articles$10.9MJohn Rose leads governor fundraising1,697TN public schools tracked95counties covered142school districts132GA legislators on scorecards1,830Tennessee Firefly articles$21.7Mraised across 21 '26 governor candidates
Live Tracker · Special Series

Tennessee's Next Governor

Who's running, who's raising money, and where do they stand on education? Our nonpartisan tracker follows every declared candidate, campaign dollar, and policy position, updated as the race unfolds.

CandidatesCampaign FinancePollingEducation Policy
Open the Tracker
🏛️
Election 2026Primary Aug 6 · General Nov 3

Around Tennessee

The latest education news from across the Volunteer State

🎸

Nashville

The Gate School Would Bring Discussion-Based Harkness Method to West Nashville

JUL 15, 2026 • Jacob Holley

The Gate School Would Bring Discussion-Based Harkness Method to West Nashville

Metro Nashville Public Schools will consider the proposed public charter school’s amended application on July 28.

More Nashville news→
🎺

Memphis

Memphis-Shelby County Schools Audit Reveals Millions of Dollars in Mismanagement

JUL 9, 2026 • Jacob Holley

Memphis-Shelby County Schools Audit Reveals Millions of Dollars in Mismanagement

Auditors say they found possible conflicts of interest in bidding practices and non-competitive procurement processes.

More Memphis news→
🏔️

Knoxville

Knox County Schools Avoids Teacher Layoffs After Unexpected Budget Cuts

JUL 13, 2026 • Jacob Holley

Knox County Schools Avoids Teacher Layoffs After Unexpected Budget Cuts

The district had to account for $7.8 million in diverted funding.

More Knoxville news
Tools for Tennessee

Built for the way you actually use education news.

Other outlets cover the headlines. We build the infrastructure underneath: every district, every legislator, every event, searchable, subscribable, citeable.

Your district, in one view

Your School

Type your ZIP. Get the full picture: board meetings, charter applications, transparency grade, legislative actions affecting you, and the latest reporting, all assembled into one subscribable dashboard.

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Master Calendar

Every TN board meeting across all 142 districts, every charter vote, every General Assembly committee hearing, every State Board of Education meeting. One feed. Subscribe in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook.

Open the calendar →
A–F audit · all 142 districts

Transparency Scorecards

How transparent is your school district? Tennessee Firefly grades every public school district on Open Meetings Act compliance, document availability, and public-records responsiveness. Methodology published in full.

See the grades →
3 free newsletters, one TN arc

Tennessee Firefly Newsletters

The Signal on Tuesday morning. The Beam on Thursday morning. Friday Flicker on Friday afternoon. One signup, all three, free forever. Subscribe in 30 seconds.

Subscribe to all three →
THE PODCAST

On The Fly

Deep dives into Tennessee education policy, interviews with lawmakers, educators, and the people shaping our schools.

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On The Fly Podcast
COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY

Higher Education

News from Tennessee's colleges, universities, and beyond

Experts Say Employers Seek More from College Students Than Previous Years
Higher Education

JUL 15, 2026

Experts Say Employers Seek More from College Students Than Previous Years

Employers expect job seekers to have more than just a degree.

World Cup Providing a ‘Global Platform’ for UT
Higher Education

JUL 1, 2026

World Cup Providing a ‘Global Platform’ for UT

Turfgrass developed by the University of Tennessee is in use at multiple stadiums during this year’s soccer tournament.

Commentary: Tennessee Students Benefit from a Targeted Investment in Higher Education
Higher Education

JUN 22, 2026

Commentary: Tennessee Students Benefit from a Targeted Investment in Higher Education

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission is poised to deliver a better return on investment from higher education fundi...

View All Higher Ed News →

Covering Education Across All 95 Tennessee Counties

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The Tennessee Firefly newsletter family

Tennessee education, three ways.

The Signal·The Beam·Friday Flicker

Tuesday briefing. Thursday deep-dive. Friday mixtape. Free, always.

Free, always. One-click preference center in every email.

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15polls tracked in governor's race
44TISA / school funding stories
864state-government articles
$10.9MJohn Rose leads governor fundraising
Special Session Convened

Capitol

SPECIAL SESSIONTN Capitol · live activity

Governor convened a special legislative session

  • 0State SenatorsUpper chamber · 4-year terms
  • 0State RepresentativesLower chamber · 2-year terms
  • 0Live video streamsSenate · House · Joint
Capitol Live → →
All 95 Counties

Schools

SY 2024–25Schools graded
095 counties · 144 districts
Latest · Thu, Jul 16

Manchester Elementary Teacher Shocked to Receive Milken Educator Award

Zoe KuhnRead story →
  • 0Counties trackedStatewide coverage
  • 0School data toolsACT · Grad · CCR · Flight · Equity
  • 0Your SchoolDistrict dashboards by ZIP
School Grades Explorer →
TISA · Per-Pupil Spending

Funding

TISA EXPLAINEDFunding explainers
0TISA · BEP · Local budgets · Formula
  • 0TISA articles publishedTagged TISA / school funding
  • 0State-government coverageStatehouse · Capitol · TDOE
  • 0Total Tennessee Firefly storiesIndexed · all topics
Funding hub →
Updated Jul 18

Election 2026

UPDATED JUL 18Total raised
$0.0MAcross 21 declared candidates
Top Fundraiser · Updated Jul 18

John Rose

R · $10.9M raisedSee finance →
  • 0Declared candidates3R · 5D · 13I
  • 0Polls tracked538-style aggregator
  • 0Days to primaryAug 6, 2026
→
🚂

Chattanooga

Chattanooga Grad Starts Program to Help Students Think 'Big Picture'

JUL 3, 2026 • Zoe Kuhn

Chattanooga Grad Starts Program to Help Students Think 'Big Picture'

Maurquez Thompson’s new college prep program will support students from The Howard School and Brainerd High School.

More Chattanooga news→
Live tracker →