What Tennesseans Want, and Where the Candidates Stand

Her campaign lists school choice under parental rights and commits to fully implementing the state law. She writes that she stood with President Trump, Vice President Vance and Governor Lee in support of school choice, and that as governor she would keep working with the legislature so every child has access to an education that fits their needs regardless of family income or zip code. Her stated frame is parental authority: parents, not government bureaucrats, know what is best for each child. She has also backed federal education savings account bills in the Senate.

“Parents shouldn’t have to win the lottery to have a say in their child’s education.”Tennessee Lookout, Tennessee GOP gubernatorial hopefuls split on private school vouchers (July 15, 2026)

Source: Marsha Blackburn for Governor, Strengthening parental rights · read 2026-08-08

Her platform opens the education section by committing to fully fund K-12 public education rather than, in her words, siphon dollars into unaccountable voucher schemes. A separate budget plank argues the state is diverting $1.1 billion over five years to private vouchers that largely go to wealthy families, money she says could instead raise teacher pay and cut the school repair backlog.

“Fully fund K-12 public education”

Source: Jerri Green for Governor, Policy · read 2026-08-08

Her campaign publishes twenty-one issue planks. None addresses the TISA formula, the state share of K-12 funding, or the annual education budget request. Two planks do speak to state spending in general terms, cutting wasteful government spending and stopping what she calls out-of-control liberal spending, but neither names schools, districts or the funding formula. Her one K-12 commitment is to fully implement the state school choice law, whose award is set by the same base amount TISA uses.

Source: Marsha Blackburn for Governor, Issues · read 2026-08-08

Her platform commits to fully funding K-12 public education and lists what she would add: counselors, nurses and support staff, universal pre-K, special education and rural schools, a special education equity fund, and available Medicaid dollars drawn into schools. She frames funding as a values question, writing that the state funds what it values. She does not name the TISA formula or propose a specific increase.

“Expand access to school counselors, nurses, and support staff”

Source: Jerri Green for Governor, Policy · read 2026-08-08

Her published planks touching schools cover curriculum, parental rights, student online safety and a phone-free classroom policy her campaign runs as its own section, Bell to Bell: No Cell. None addresses TCAP, the A-F school letter grades, or the accountability system that produces them. Her deep profile records the same gap from a separate review: she has not publicly addressed state-level standardized testing policy.

Source: Marsha Blackburn for Governor, Issues · read 2026-08-08

Her platform addresses curriculum and school climate, pledging what she calls honest education rather than censorship and political interference, and commits to waiving GED testing fees and taking testing to all corners of the state. Those are the only testing commitments it makes. It contains no position on TCAP, the A-F school letter grades, or the accountability system. Her deep profile records the same gap from a separate review: no public statements found on standardized testing policy.

Source: Jerri Green for Governor, Policy · read 2026-08-08

Her published issue planks include no teacher pay commitment and no teacher recruitment or retention plank, on a list that runs to twenty-one issues. She has spoken about who staffs a classroom rather than what the state pays them: asked about teachers by Tennessee Firefly in February 2025, she said Tennessee children deserve the best person for the job. That is the closest thing to a position on the record, and it is not one on salaries.

Source: Marsha Blackburn for Governor, Issues · read 2026-08-08

Her platform commits to raising teacher pay and, in her phrase, restoring respect to the profession. Her budget plank names teacher pay as one of the specific things the money now going to vouchers could fund. She also pledges to appoint an education commissioner with classroom experience. No target salary figure is given.

“Raise teacher pay and restore respect to the profession”

Source: Jerri Green for Governor, Policy · read 2026-08-08

She has a dedicated higher education and vocational training plank. It commits to public-private partnerships so institutions have facilities and resources, to working with legislators to strengthen the state 529 program, and to increasing vocational education on the argument that a four-year degree is not for everyone. It also conditions institutions on complying with federal executive orders barring federal funding for DEI programs.

“A four-year college degree isn’t for everyone, and improving vocational training will increase opportunities for all Tennesseans and help them find good-paying, meaningful work.”

Source: Marsha Blackburn for Governor, Improving higher education and vocational training · read 2026-08-08

Her platform addresses what comes after high school through workforce development and vocational training, a public service year program for high school graduates, and waiving GED testing fees statewide. It does not address college affordability, tuition, or the lottery-funded HOPE and Tennessee Promise scholarships.

“Promote workforce development and vocational training”

Source: Jerri Green for Governor, Policy · read 2026-08-08