Marsha Blackburn, elected Tennessee’s next governor Tuesday, said Wednesday that children should remain at the center of Tennessee education policy as she begins her transition with Gov. Bill Lee.¶
Blackburn and Lee held a joint press conference at the state Capitol one day after she won the governor’s race. Lee said his administration would work with Blackburn's team during the transition, and Blackburn outlined several issues she expects to address early in her tenure, including education, affordability, housing, childcare, and state spending.¶
Education And School Choice
Blackburn said she plans to work with legislative leaders on education policy and wants families to have options that fit how their children learn. School choice was a major part of her campaign, including support for Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship Program, which lawmakers expanded to 35,000 scholarships for the 2026-27 school year. Blackburn has also stated that public charter schools and open enrollment will be early priorities for her administration.¶
Blackburn said education policy should focus first on individual students’ needs.¶
“The important thing is let’s make certain that children are the center of education policy, and that children are going to be in an environment where they can learn,” Blackburn said.¶
She added that children learn in different ways and said a single education model will not work for every student. Blackburn also said parents should have a meaningful say in where and how their children are educated, and that she plans to continue those conversations with the General Assembly.¶
Affordability and Housing
Blackburn also made affordability a major focus of her first public comments after the election. She said her transition team will begin looking at property taxes, workforce housing, and child care, including ways to lower housing costs for teachers, first responders, health care workers, and others who need to live near the communities they serve.¶
Blackburn said the cost of living will be one of the first issues her administration takes up.¶
“Tennesseans have been very specific that the cost of living is going to be a top issue for them, and getting that cost of living down,” Blackburn said.¶
Her ideas included possible property tax relief for seniors and first-time homebuyers, reducing permitting and regulatory costs on new housing, and using unused public property for public-private housing projects. She also pointed to a federal child care tax credit that she said could help employers create more child care options for workers.¶
