Marta W. Aldrich, Chalkbeat Tennessee
Tennessee’s voucher proposal open to legal challenge for excluding undocumented students
Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee’s Republican-controlled legislature are sticking with language in education voucher legislation that would check families’ immigration status to participate, even though doing so could land the state in court.
The Senate Education Committee voted Wednesday to advance Lee’s plan to create...
Bill to arm Tennessee teachers advances over objections of law enforcement, educators
A bill that would let teachers carry concealed guns in Tennessee schools advanced Wednesday in the legislature, even as law enforcement officers and several teachers spoke against the proposal.
The measure, sponsored by Rep. Ryan Williams of Cookeville, is modeled after a controversial 2016 state...
Betsy DeVos joins Tennessee governor in full-court press for expanded school choice
While U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos isn't convincing members of Congress to expand education choices for families, she found a more receptive audience Monday in Tennessee.
DeVos joined Gov. Bill Lee to visit a Nashville charter school where students have shown academic gains. Earlier...
Teachers are ‘ready to fight,’ says new Tennessee coalition inspired by strikes in other states
Teacher members of the Tennessee Education Association meet Tuesday with Rep. Harold Love of Nashville during an advocacy day at the State Capitol in Nashville. TEA encourages members to use a day of their spring breaks to lobby lawmakers on issues important to teachers....
Education voucher plan by Tennessee’s governor generates more questions than answers
Gov. Bill Lee’s proposal to bring education vouchers to Tennessee is an ambitious plan — but short on details thus far.
The Republican governor announced his “parent choice” initiative on Monday before a legislative body that has consistently rejected vouchers in numerous forms. He promised...
Gov. Lee unveils ‘choice-friendly’ proposed budget including vouchers, charter school support
Proclaiming that “choice is good” when it comes to education, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Monday proposed creating a voucher program for students from low-income families and said he will support legislation to make it easier to open high-quality charter schools.
He also asked lawmakers...
Is Tennessee moving its weakest teachers to early, non-tested grades? New research says yes.
Tennessee’s education insiders have whispered for years that some elementary school principals were moving their least effective teachers to critical early grades, which are free of high-stakes tests. That’s despite clear evidence that those years are the most important for preparing students for a...
After campaigning for more vocational education, Lee unveils his proposal for Tennessee
Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday announced his legislative initiative to expand access to vocational and technical training for Tennessee students.
Called GIVE for short, the Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education would support regional partnerships among schools, industry, and technical colleges to develop work-based learning and...
Nashville school board member and political operative apologizes for his part in Tennessee’s Race to the Top
As a key adviser to former Gov. Phil Bredesen, Will Pinkston was an insider in Tennessee’s aggressive campaign to overhaul public education policies and win a $500 million award under the federal Race to the Top competition in 2010.
Later as a school board member...
Tennessee schools chief Candice McQueen leaving for job at national education nonprofit
Tennessee’s education chief is leaving state government to lead a nonprofit organization focused on attracting, developing, and keeping high-quality educators.
Candice McQueen, 44, will become the CEO of National Institute for Excellence in Teaching in mid-January.
Gov. Bill Haslam, whose administration will end on Jan. 19,...