The Friday Flicker
Everything that mattered, everything you missed, and what is coming next. The week, recapped before the weekend.
2026
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.