State to begin accepting applications for the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship on May 15
The Tennessee Department of Education plans to launch the application portal at 10 P.M. CT according to a news release sent to the Tennessee Firefly.
TSSAA creates student advisory committee as lawmakers question the association’s future
This week, State Representative Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, and State Senator Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, said they plan to explore whether the TSSAA should continue to exist in its current form.
This year’s legislative session attracted headlines for what didn’t pass but important changes did make it through to benefit students
Among the bills that did pass were multiple changes to help Tennessee’s public charter schools.
Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education denies every public charter school application after two members say publicly that they oppose the concept of charters
The board voted down applications from the Rock Academy, the Forge School, and Rocketship Public Schools Tuesday.
Lawmakers pass conflicting bills to enable state intervention into Memphis-Shelby County Schools, tabling it for the year
The future of legislation to enable state-intervention into Memphis-Shelby County Schools could be decided in a conference committee.
Lawmakers opt to study Tennessee’s testing and accountability system instead of weakening it
If approved by the Tennessee House, the bill will create a ten-member advisory committee that also studies the academic requirements for career and technical education students, whether schools should have a minimum number of required instructional hours, and the licensure requirements for teachers.
Representative Scott Cepicky moves bill to legalize one-time transfers for school athletes to next year’s calendar
The measure would allow a student to transfer to another school without losing athletic eligibility provided the sending school does not attest the transfer was due to athletic or disciplinary reasons.
Lawmakers pass legislation proposed by Middle Tennessee students
The Tennessee House passed legislation proposed by students Wednesday that requires each school district in the state to create a policy for a student to serve as a nonvoting school board member.
Memphis school intervention bill heads to both chambers’ floors with key questions unanswered
If each chamber passes its version, the final details of one of the most talked about pieces of legislation this session would be decided in a conference committee.
Bill locking in local primaries passes House vote despite pushback from some Republicans
Legislation that prevents Tennessee counties from switching to a caucus for local partisan elections passed a House vote Monday and now heads to Governor Bill Lee, despite pushback from Republican Party leaders.
Tennessee House shows increased support for public charter schools
Members of the Tennessee House sent a sign of increased support for innovative education options Monday by voting 70 to 19 in favor of legislation that supporters say will improve the approval process for public charter schools.
Senator Johnson and Representative Reeves want to ensure voting remains convenient in county primaries. Why is their own county’s GOP chapter opposing them?
The lawmakers are proposing legislation that ensures every county that currently uses a primary for local partisan races continues to do so and prohibits them from switching to a caucus or convention.
Metro Nashville Public Schools has two students on its school board. Soon every district in the state could have one.
Lawmakers are currently considering legislation that would require each school district to create a policy for a non-voting student school board member.
State Senate passes bill allowing one-time transfer rule for high school athletes
The measure from State Senator Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, would allow a student to transfer to another school due to a significant academic, social-emotional, environmental, or mental health need, provided the sending school does not attest the transfer was due to athletic or disciplinary reasons.
Hamilton County Senator Bo Watson faces pushback from Chattanooga educators and business leaders for bill impacting undocumented students
On Wednesday, the Hamilton County Principals Association issued a statement opposing the bill, calling it a threat and a contradiction to professional ethics and moral responsibilities.
Lawmakers question the performance of public charter schools, even though the schools are outperforming traditional public schools in their district
State Representatives John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, and Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, both serve districts where multiple public charter schools are outperforming traditional public schools nearby. Still both lawmakers openly questioned the performance of those schools during debate over new charter legislation Monday morning in the House Government Operations Committee.
Divided House Committee provides positive recommendation to legislation authorizing school districts to deny undocumented students
It received a positive recommendation on a narrow 8-7 margin, with Representative Jeremy Faison, R- Cosby, joining six Democrats on the committee voting against the legislation.
State Senate passes legislation that would prohibit public school teachers from asking a student’s preferred pronoun
The bill from Senator Paul Rose would extend existing pronoun policy to students and prohibit teachers from asking students to call them by a name or pronoun inconsistent with their biological sex.
State representative pushes for task force to examine the impact of President Trump’s education cuts
The legislation would create what a federal education deregulation cooperation task force charged with investigating the Tennessee impact of recent presidential administration efforts to slash the U.S. Department of Education.
House Education Committee advances state intervention bill for Memphis-Shelby County Schools
Speaking to House Education Committee members Wednesday evening, Representative Mark White said only 17 percent of the district’s students demonstrate proficiency in math, and just 23 percent meet reading proficiency standards.