LOCAL EDUCATION NEWS

Under the bill, the education commissioner would be able to recommend the removal of the director of schools and some or all school board members.

During a school board meeting Tuesday night, the MSCS board voted unanimously to support a resolution opposing state intervention and calling on other elected officials to oppose it as well.

The bill, brought by Speaker Pro Tempore Pat Marsh, R-Shelbyville, would allow local school boards to introduce a merit-based pay structure to award additional compensation to high-performing educators.

The Governor Bill Lee backed legislation would allow charter applicants the ability to apply directly to the charter commission if they want to open a school in a district that has had three charter denials overturned in three straight years.

School board members unanimously supported a resolution Tuesday night opposing state intervention in the Tennessee school district and calling on elected officials elsewhere to join them.

Rutherford County is one of the fastest growing areas in the state and school officials there are weighing how to handle an influx of students while trying to maintain a community feel.

During Thursday’s meeting, Board Chair Joe Smith asked Superintendent Dr. Justin Robertson what the impact would be if the district reduced the number of benchmark tests given from three per year, to two or even one per year.

A welder, a sixth-grade teacher who’s been on the job 14-years, and a first-grade teacher who expanded a forest learning program are the Tennessee school district’s three 2025 Teachers of the Year.

Stephanie Boshears received a welcome surprise during a school assembly when she was named a recipient of the prestigious Milken Educator Award.

Senator Adam Lowe’s legislation would allow charter applicants the ability to apply directly to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission if they want to open a school in a district that has had three charter denials overturned in three years.

Under the proposed change for the Tennessee school district, librarians would be required to develop a “Mature Materials List” identifying materials within the library collection that have mature content. 

Representative William Lamberth’s, R-Portland, bill would give school districts the option to refuse to enroll students that do not have legal immigration status.

Thursday the group held one of it’s first community discussions involving panelists who acknowledged the critical issues within the district but believe these problems can be better solved at the local level.

School board members voted to remove “Assassination Classroom” volumes 1 through 8 and 11by Yusei Matsui, “Catch 22” by Joseph Heller, “Perfect Chemistry” by Simone Elkeles, “Water for Elephants” by Sarah Gruen, and “Yolk” by Mary H.K. Choi from school libraries.

The bill would require public school districts to collect documentation during enrollment proving students are U.S. citizens, in the process of obtaining citizenship, or hold a legal immigration or visa status. If students cannot provide that documentation, the district could charge them tuition.

District leaders unveiled the Raider Bites truck during a ceremony on campus Wednesday, equipped with a commercial-grade kitchen to provide career and technical education (CTE) students with skills in technical, financial, and entrepreneurial fields.

The proposed legislation would allow charter applicants the ability to apply directly to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission if they want to open a school in a district that has three charter denials overturned in three years.

More than 75 percent of families said they support the continuation of early release or half days. However, about 53 percent of parents said the shorter days pose some challenge to their families, the primary issues being disruption to routine and lack of childcare and transportation.

Governor Lee’ is legislation would allow public charter school applicants the ability to apply directly to a state commission in communities with a history of denying charter schools that were later overturned.

In his new position as Interim Superintendent, Dr. Roderick Richmond said one of his main priorities is to improve communication, which is something administrators, board members, and parents have previously said was lacking.

All student groups met winter growth targets for math and are on track to meet upcoming growth targets for both math and English language arts according to an update school board members received Tuesday night on the winter 2024 assessments.

Novus SMART Academy is among the 11 new start charter applications that met this month’s filing deadline in five school districts across the state.

The bill, sponsored by Representative Kirk Haston, R-Lobelville, establishes a community schools grant program to benefit public schools, administered by the University of Tennessee. Local districts would be able to opt in and apply for grants to create so-called full-service community schools within existing public schools.

The Tennessee State Board of Education released evaluations this month for how well three local education agencies are overseeing public charter schools. Five overturned decisions contributed to Metro Nashville Public Schools earning just a “satisfactory” score.

On Thursday, school board members took up a proposed change to the policy, which would prohibit students from possessing a wireless device on campus during the regular school day. 

The bill, brought by Representative Rebecca Alexander R-Jonesborough, would require local boards of education and public charter schools to adopt a policy prohibiting students from using any wireless communication devices during instructional time, with a few exceptions.

Myles granted LEAD Public Schools’ request to temporarily halt a controversial school rezoning plan approved by the Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Board of Education last November that would have diverted children from attending LEAD Cameron as they have been without applying first.

The School District Capital Improvements Investment Trust Act, sponsored by Representative Kirk Haston R-Lobelville, would allow local school boards to invest any surplus money into the account, which could then only be used for repairs, new building projects, and other capitol improvements for that district.

In a unanimous vote Tuesday night, members of the Metro Nashville Public School Board of Education approved an effort to install concealed weapons detection systems in all 18 high schools in the district.

The Knox County School Board voted to move forward with a plan for the creation of a new K-8 school that would serve 1,600 students in the Western Heights area west of downtown Knoxville.