When we talk about the state of education in Tennessee, we often hear of staffing shortages and issues caused by teacher retention. Last fall, more than 800 classes in Middle Tennessee alone did not have a full-time educator.

Walking into my first classroom in Taiwan was like stepping into another world of education. The desks were arranged with precision, the students were armed with textbooks and an air of focus, and the expectations were clear: excellence was not optional, it was the norm.

As Tennessee looks to the future, the connection between innovative education pathways and economic independence is undeniable. By reimagining how students are prepared for the workforce, we can equip the next generation with the tools they need to thrive in a fast-changing economy.

As a parent, we spend our days constantly evaluating decisions that will shape our children into capable adults and preparing them for the journey ahead. Perhaps one of the most important of those decisions is determining what pathway we select for our child’s education. As a parent of two, I have learned that the answer to that question is not stagnant and can change alongside the needs of the child.

One quarter of the nation’s school district leaders say none of their strategies are working to curb chronic absenteeism, a Rand survey finds.

Congressional Democrats are at risk of shedding a critical voting bloc in swing states: Black and Hispanic voters who say their concerns about improving public education and increasing access to schools beyond their zip codes are falling on deaf ears. 

Fortified by a stream of Democratic endorsements and high-dollar donations, Vice President Kamala Harris appeared every bit the presidential contender when she appeared before the national convention of the American Federation of Teachers last week.

Improving literacy rates, preparing students to compete globally, and combating teacher shortages are among the top challenges facing Memphis-Shelby County schools, candidates for the school board said at a forum Monday night.

In 2007 — the year I retired as Senate majority leader — Tennessee got a wakeup call when a U.S. Chamber of Commerce report awarded our state an “F” for low academic performance. After conversations with stakeholders statewide to develop a shared vision for improving student outcomes, one thing became clear: Tennessee had to begin making significant changes in education. 

While Gov. Bill Lee’s universal school voucher proposal is clearly a key issue this election year, there is less agreement on where Tennessee voters stand on the contentious education policy, incentivizing many state legislative candidates to avoid discussing the matter.

As more states require schools to out transgender students to their families, a new study links involuntary disclosure of sexual orientation or gender identity to heightened rates of depression and anxiety.

It’s not often that statehouse elections in rural Texas steer the national conversation about school choice. But things might change later this month.On May 28, voters will choose Republican candidates in 13 of the state’s 150 House districts. Four are currently held by representatives targeted by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for persistently stymying his attempts to create a statewide system of education savings accounts (ESAs).

It makes intuitive sense: Smaller districts with fewer kids need fewer schools. A district with 40,000 students operates many more school buildings than a district with 20,000, which in turn runs more than a district with 10,000. With widespread enrollment declines (for example, California’s school-age population is forecast to drop by 15% over the next decade), many districts are now grappling with whether to close one or more schools.

According to the annual report, which surveyed 1,000 teachers across the country, 70 percent of teachers believe that their students are falling behind academically, highlighting a need for increased academic support.

Rutherford County Schools (RCS) is recommending purchasing backpacks for participants in the upcoming June summer learning camp.

If it wasn’t for Ruby Bridges, Ben Williams’ circle of friends would be smaller — and whiter. That’s why, when the 11-year-old Grahamwood Elementary School student read about how Bridges endured death threats and racial slurs to attend all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans in 1960, he wrote a letter thanking her.

A growing New York nonprofit is using a newly released report to cement data around the axiom that social capital — or who you know — is key for first-generation college graduates searching for their first job.The report by Basta, an organization that connects first-generation college graduates with careers, tracks the experiences of young job seekers, revealing that not all networks are the same. 

Memphis-Shelby County Schools is asking the county for more than $200 million in funding for school buildings, both to address maintenance needs at existing schools and to support construction of two new high schools.The request exceeds even the expanded school buildings budget supported by a county wheel tax increase last year, and it’s not clear how much of it the county can provide. Projected costs for the two new high schools have risen by tens of millions of dollars since county commissioners approved initial funding for them.