The Friday Flicker
Everything that mattered, everything you missed, and what is coming next. The week, recapped before the weekend.
2026
The Friday Flicker#22 Early Voting Ends 45 Percent Ahead of 2022 Pace, 7 Percent Lower Than 2018
Tennesseans cast 1,280,642 early and absentee votes, 45 percent more than in 2022, with Election Day set for Nov. 3.
The Friday Flicker#21 Tennessee Lawmakers Mulling Metro Nashville Public Schools State Audit
Local officials are preparing a districtwide review as calls for additional state scrutiny grow.
The Friday Flicker#20 Tennessee Public Charter Schools Commission Reverses Gate School, Music City Academy Application Denials
The state commission overturned two Metro Nashville charter denials, triggering a five-year application window.
The Friday Flicker#19 Tennessee Public Charter Schools Commission Reverses Gate School, Music City Academy Application Denials
The Commission's reversals trigger the five-year state application option for both schools.
The Friday Flicker#18 Kevin Dyson's Music City Academy Makes Its Case to the State
Metro Nashville Public Schools cited fiscal concerns rather than educational quality in defending its rejection of the proposed charter.
The Friday Flicker#17 Former MSCS Board Member Makes Case for Merit-Based Teacher Pay During Interview
Former board member says stronger incentives could help Memphis-Shelby County Schools retain high-performing educators.
The Friday Flicker#16 Tennessee's Work in Literacy, Workforce Readiness Cited in National 'Playbook'
Tennessee's literacy and workforce reforms featured in federal guide as model for state-level education control.
The Friday Flicker#15 School Board Members Ignore Questions About Public School Choice
Only four board members across Tennessee's three largest districts answered questions about the challenges facing their schools.
The Friday Flicker#14 Proposed Rural Charter School Receives Community Backing Ahead of Appeal
The Trimble Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed a resolution backing the proposed charter school as it heads to state appeal.
The Friday Flicker#13 Tristar Reads Winners Turn Summer Pages into Scholarships
Four Tennessee students read their way to college money, with the top winner averaging nearly eight hours daily.
The Friday Flicker#12 Blackburn and Green advance to November governor's race
Blackburn and Green advance to November as education issues reshape legislative contests statewide.
The Friday Flicker#11 LEAD Students Find Useful 'Thought Partner' in AI
LEAD's Alpha AI Program teaches students to use artificial intelligence as a collaborative thinking tool.
The Friday Flicker#10 Blackburn proposes statewide school cell phone ban
Tennessee's new senator wants stricter classroom phone rules, though state law already restricts student devices during instruction.
The Friday Flicker#9 School Choice Divides Candidates in East Tennessee GOP Primary
Two Republicans clash over taxpayer-funded private school vouchers as East Tennessee voters head to the polls.
The Friday Flicker#8 Trimble Academy Supporters Say Their Application Wasn't Given a Fair Review
Dyer County School Board rejected Trimble Academy despite evaluators recommending approval of the charter application.
The Friday Flicker#7 Board Names Leigh Webb Interim Superintendent of Williamson County Schools
Webb, a longtime district educator, steps into the role following the board's decision to part ways with the previous superintendent.
The Friday Flicker#6 Proposal to directly target higher education funding moves closer to approval
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission will vote next month on changes designed to promote good-paying, in-demand jobs.
The Friday Flicker#5 State to Consider Targeted Approach to Incentivizing Higher Education
Tennessee may shift how it funds colleges, tying more dollars to graduates who land high-paying jobs in needed fields.
The Friday Flicker#4 Alcoa middle schoolers win $10,000 for AI club project
East Tennessee fourth and fifth-graders created an app concept to help students with their homework.
The Friday Flicker#3 Knox County Schools to Ask Legislators to Revise Book-Banning Law
Knox County Schools seeks changes to state law after pulling and reinstating Roots amid confusion over book-banning rules.
The Friday Flicker#2 New Research Finds Tennessee's Teacher Unions are the Third Weakest
Union strength dropped eight places from the Fordham Institute's last ranking a decade ago.
The Friday Flicker#1 Clarksville Parents Criticize Support Following Fatal School Bus Crash
Five parents told the school board it failed to support families after the crash that killed three students.