The University of Tennessee System has reached historic highs in 2025, reporting record enrollment, retention, and research funding across its campuses.

Through a partnership with the Northern Middle Tennessee Workforce Board and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, students are now able to access multiple workforce services at Nashville State Community College’s East Davidson Campus.

Representative Scott Cepicky tells the Tennessee Firefly he plans to introduce legislation next year to regulate local benchmarks and improve career pathways for students in high school and higher education.

As the federal government shutdown threatens to pause Military Tuition Assistance payments, Austin Peay State University has pledged to cover tuition for active-duty, reserve, and National Guard students enrolled in Fall B courses—continuing its long-standing support for military learners near Fort Campbell.

Tennessee SCORE is urging the state to update its higher education funding formula to better reward colleges for helping students earn degrees that lead to strong, high-paying jobs and strengthen the state’s workforce.

The partnership will produce TBR (frequently referred to as the Tennessee Board of Regents) branding at all TSSAA High School and Middle School State Championships, as well as messaging through social media, e-blasts, e-newsletters, and event streaming throughout the year.

Hours after the shooting, comments on X from a now-former employee at Middle Tennessee State University led to condemnation from lawmakers and university leadership.

Tennessee’s college-going rate for the Class of 2024 has dropped to 56 percent, with the steepest declines among minority and low-income students.

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited Tennessee on Wednesday as part of her nationwide “Returning Education to the States” tour,.

Tennessee teachers who complete non-traditional pathways to licensure are significantly less likely than traditional degree program graduates to remain in the profession during their early careers, particularly by the start of their fifth year, according to a new study from TERA.

Aspiring Tennessee teachers now have a clearer and more affordable pathway into the classroom. THEC voted this week to revise the TN Future Teacher Scholarship program, cutting the required teaching commitment in half.

Tennessee’s Class of 2026 high school seniors can now take their first step toward tuition-free college through the Tennessee Promise program through Nov. 3.

Supporters say Tennessee is leading the nation with TN Direct Admissions, a new pilot program that automatically accepts eligible high school seniors into in-state colleges and technical schools—no application required.

Tennessee has been selected to join Lumina Foundation’s FutureReady States initiative, a national effort to align short-term credentials with quality jobs and expand access for adult learners. The state will focus on defining and tracking stackable credentials to build clearer, more flexible education pathways.

The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees is responsible for the governance and strategic oversight of the University of Tennessee System, including campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin, Pulaski (UT Southern), and the UT Health Science Center in Memphis. 

The Tennessee General Assembly approved $165.5 million in next year’s budget for the new building, which is the largest investment ever funded for a single higher education project.

According to the Comptroller’s audit, Tucker is inheriting a university that ended the 2022/23 fiscal year in June 2023 with an operating revenue loss of more than $128 million.

Under the proposed budget, tuition will hold steady at $11,560 per semester for in-state students and $30,704 for out-of-state students for the 2025-26 school year.

Nondegree credentials focus on specific competencies and include diplomas, certificates, and industry credentials other than a traditional postsecondary degree.