Legislator Profile: Senator Dawn White is bringing lessons from the classroom to Nashville

State Senator Dawn White was always going to make an impact on education. The Murfreesboro legislator says even as a young child growing up in Eagleville Tennessee, she was attracted to teaching. “I mean my mother will tell you the stories of when my sister and I would play when we were little kids, I would always be the teacher so it’s just something that I always had a passion for and a heart for,” said Sen. White. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University, White took that passion to Black Fox Elementary School in Murfreesboro where she was a kindergarten teacher for seven years. It’s an experience that helps guide her work today as a State Senator representing the 13th Senate District where she serves on the Senate Education Committee. “I look at it as you know our kids are the most valuable resources we have and if I can just in a small way help you know shape the future of our education and help make it better for the next generation then it’s a true honor to serve on the education committee,” said Sen. White. Last year Senator White played a big role in helping the next generation through her support of the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act (TISA). The historic legislation invests a billion new dollars into education and updates the 30-year-old Basic Education Program (BEP) formula Tennessee had been using to funding public schools. Under TISA, funding follows the student to better meet their individual needs and Senator White saw that change as something that’s needed in her district. “The BEP formula just was not benefitting a fast-growing school district. I saw that again with Murfreesboro City and Rutherford County and so I thought this is not working,” said Sen. White. “We need to try something new, we can’t just be stuck where we’re at.” White’s district in Rutherford County is on the forefront of trying new things in Tennessee. Later this year the county will be the first Middle Tennessee suburban county with a public charter school, providing parents with another educational option. White says she’s always been supportive of school choice for parents and believes high-quality public charter schools can provide that option. “Parent choice includes public school, private school, charter schools, ESAs, and home schooling.  I believe the parent knows what is best for their child, one size fits all models does not work and so I think that parent needs a choice and charter schools gives that parent that choice if they think that is best for their child,” said White.

113th General Assembly

This year’s start of the 113th General Assembly marks Senator White’s 11th year of service as a legislator and education is expected to play a big role once again. The session will bring votes on Tennessee’s Third Grade Retention Law and an expansion to the Education Savings Account. With every bill before her, Senator White says she uses her experience in the classroom to evaluate how it will impact everyone it touches, from students to their community. “I think how is it going to affect, first off the child or the student.  Second of all, how is it going to affect the teacher.  Then how is it going to affect actually the community,” said Sen. White. “Every bill that comes through there I have to think you know, is it going to be beneficial for all students in Tennessee.”