The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission has approved changes to a charter agreement with Empower Memphis Career and College Prep Charter Schools that would allow the operator to open a new school in a different location next school year.  

Five Tennessee school districts across the state received letters of intent for 17 proposed new public charter schools by last week’s deadline. Letters of intent are the first official step in next year’s new start charter application process.

A new report from the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) says that only 44 percent of students pursuing postsecondary education in Tennessee actually complete a credential, with even fewer students earning credentials that “clearly lead to economic independence.”

A new report from the Tennessee Department of Education says Tennessee’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) and work-based learning (WBL) initiatives will play a critical role in building up the state’s talent pipeline in the years ahead.

Tennessee legislators have filed several bills this year that aim to tackle longstanding challenges in education, such as expanding school choice, enhancing student safety, and curbing distractions from cell phones.

National education news organization the 74 found Tennessee’s largest school districts are achieving math proficiency at lower rates than expected based on poverty.

The Federal Trade Commission has charged a company that produces AI-based weapons detection systems used by schools and other businesses with making misleading claims about its effectiveness.

New data from the Tennessee Department of Education indicates that about 40 percent of third graders in Tennessee achieved proficiency in English language arts on 2024 state tests.

The Tennessee Department of Education announced the 377 schools across the state that have received the designation as Reward Schools for the 2023/2024 school year.

Public charter schools led the way in the state’s largest school district, accounting for nearly a third of Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ 34 Reward Schools.

While statewide teaching vacancy rates haven’t seemed to change much in recent years, Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) data indicates that the number of positions filled by teachers with temporary permits and other exemptions has increased.

While the majority of K-12 facilities in Tennessee are in “good” or “excellent” condition, a new report from the Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability says that nearly 60 percent of counties have a “monetarily significant school infrastructure need.”

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee wasted no time applauding President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of a former professional wrestling mogul to serve as the United States Secretary of Education.

Despite several state initiatives in recent years to strengthen the teacher pipeline and fill K-12 classrooms with trained educators, many Tennessee districts are still struggling to meet their staffing needs, a recent report from the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) said.

Since opening its doors for the 2015-16 school year, LEAD Neely’s Bend Middle School has garnered support from many parents in the Madison area who say the charter school’s approach to education has been beneficial for their children’s academic growth.

One of the key investments in Tennessee’s 2021 special legislative session was the creation of summer learning camps designed to help children overcome pandemic learning losses. The state has continued operating them ever since, and at Wednesday’s state budget hearing, Department of Education Commissioner LIzzette Reynolds made the case for an additional $57.8 million investment.

You can add Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to the growing list of Tennessee lawmakers who support President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. Lee posted a video on social media Wednesday to proclaim his support for the idea, even though the federal department is directly responsible for funneling more than $800 million to Tennessee.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission is requesting new funding in the state’s higher-ed budget to capitalize on the progress made through other state investments geared toward boosting postsecondary enrollment and expanding workforce training.

In the coming weeks, leaders of more than a dozen public charter schools will make the case for why their school’s charter should be renewed for another ten-year term. Charter schools are free public schools operated by an independent contract or “charter” with an authorizing agency like a school district or the state.

This year, five authorizing agencies including school board members with Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Hamilton County Schools, Knox County Schools, along with members of the state-run Tennessee Public Charter School Commission will make those decisions for thirteen charter schools.

Despite the fact that the U.S. Department of Education funnels more than $800 million into Tennessee alone, some leading Republican legislators have signaled support for President-Elect Donald Trump’s promise to eliminate the department altogether.

There have been some mixed reactions to Tennessee lawmakers’ efforts to reintroduce school choice legislation for vouchers that allow public tax dollars to be used for private school enrollment.