New research by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute ranks Tennessee’s teacher unions 49th out of 51 states and the District of Columbia in terms of strength and influence.¶
Just Oklahoma and Arkansas ranked lower, despite Tennessee’s largest teachers’ union, the Tennessee Education Association, routinely being among the state leaders in campaign contributions.¶
In making its ranking, Fordham researchers looked at five areas, including union resources and membership, involvement in politics, labor and bargaining policies, policy wins and losses, and perceived influence. Tennessee’s unions ranked in the 40s in each category, except for “policy wins and losses,” where they ranked 33.¶
No Longer the ‘Most Powerful Voice’
Tennessee's overall ranking is eight spots lower than Fordham’s last ranking in 2012, but researchers found evidence that teacher unions in many areas are losing strength.¶
Fordham’s report pointed out that so-called school reform groups have grown since the 2012 ranking. For example, researchers point out that the Policy Innovators in Education (PIE) Network, to which many school reform organizations belong, has grown from 30 in 2012 to more than 180.¶
“State-level reform groups are now active in almost every state,” wrote researchers in the report. “Thus, when state lawmakers debate education policy legislation, unions are no longer necessarily the most informed or powerful organizations to show up, testify, and lobby for their desired outcomes.”¶
Why is Tennessee Ranked so Low
Multiple changes approved in recent years led to Tennessee unions ranking low in Fordham’s strength categories.¶
That includes the General Assembly’s decision to remove automatic payroll deductions for teachers’ unions in 2023 and the passage of the Education Savings Account program.¶
Tennessee unions also ranked low (44th) in the share of teachers who are union members, and the rank of all employees who are union members (36th).¶
How Does Union Strength Compare to Spending
Fordham also included K-12 spending data in its rankings. It follows the National Education Association’s (NEA) annual report that recently ranked Tennessee 50th in per-pupil spending and 40th in teacher pay.¶
The state Fordham ranked as having the strongest teacher unions, Vermont, ranked fifth in the NEA report for per-pupil spending and 20th for teacher pay, while the third-strongest union state, Massachusetts, ranked fourth in per-pupil spending and fifth in teacher pay.¶
