Governor fails to win approval of signature policy initiative Gov. Bill Lee released a statement today admitting his signature legislative initiative, school vouchers, has failed for this session of the General Assembly. I am extremely disappointed for the families who will have to wait yet another year for the freedom to choose the right education for their child, especially when there is broad agreement that now is the time to bring universal school choice to Tennessee. Lee has long been an advocate of using public funds to support private schools. SHOCKING! Of course, the state already ..read more

TNReady not ready this morning . . . again Reports this morning suggest that Tennessee testing vendor Pearson experienced technical difficulties and TNReady testing didn’t start or couldn’t happen in some school districts. Image from Tweets by David Carroll and TNHoller And another one: TNReady only experiences problems every single year. Remember when we were told a dump truck had knocked out a fiber line and that ended testing? About that Dump Truck And then remember when it turned out it WASN’T a dump truck, but problems with the testing vendor? Pretty funny – unless you were the kids ta ..read more

Sumner School Board passes resolution opposing school vouchers The Sumner County School Board is asking its legislative delegation to oppose efforts to privatize Tennessee’s public schools by way of a voucher scheme. The Tennessean reports: The Sumner County Board of Education met in a special-called session last week to vote on a resolution against Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Scholarship Act. Sumner County Board of Education officials approved the resolution in a 9-1 vote. Sumner County Board of Education Chairman Tim Brewer abstained from the vote. It’s unclear whether some vers ..read more

Pro-voucher lawmaker wants to “blow-up” state’s “terrible” school system Rep. Scott Cepicky made it clear that the motive behind Gov. Bill Lee’s signature public policy initiative, school vouchers, is tearing down the state’s public school system. SHOCKING! Nashville’s NewsChannel5 has more on Cepicky’s revelation: The lead sponsor pushing school vouchers in the Tennessee state House says his goal with Tennessee’s public education system is to “throw the whole freaking system in the trash,” according to a recording obtained by NewsChannel 5. Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, whose children at ..read more

School Board candidate speaks out against state legislation Williamson County School Board candidate Elmer Mobley says he opposes legislative efforts that would allow some teachers to carry firearms while at school. “SB1325 and HB1202 overlook evidence-based solutions to school safety while promoting a culture of fear and militarization,” Mobley stated. “Teachers are not trained law enforcement officers. Expecting them to handle firearms in high-stress situations without adequate training increases the potential for accidents, misuse, and escalation of violence. Even with extensive training ..read more

Moves state one step closer to armed teachers in classrooms The Tennessee State Senate approved by a vote of 26-5 legislation that would allow some teachers to carry guns in schools. WSMV in Nashville has more: A bill that would allow teachers to carry a concealed gun on campus and school property is moving through the Tennessee General Assembly. It passed on the Senate floor on Tuesday with 26 votes for and five votes against. On Thursday, it was held on the House’s desk. If passed, this bill would allow school staff members to carry a concealed gun upon completing training, background check ..read more

Lizzette Reynolds’ tenure as Commissioner of Education marked with many mistakes Tennessee’s Education Commissioner is having a rough go. From not having the required teaching credentials when she started the job to getting caught claiming a tuition waiver she didn’t qualify for to some seriously disastrous legislative hearings, Reynolds is struggling. Fox 17 reports on the latest: What signal does it send that the governor is willing to hire somebody who is completely unqualified, who would misrepresent something on a state application and seek a tuition waiver from a state university just ..read more

District boosts teacher pay, new starting pay is $50,000/year The Lakeland School District is investing in teachers. This week, the district announced plans to move starting teacher pay to $50,000 and adjust the pay scale for all teachers accordingly. Effectively, the plan moves every teacher up four spots on the pay scale. This will mean raises of between $3000-$5000 for all teachers in the system. Teacher pay matters. Investing in the people who have direct contact with students is a direct investment in student success. When teachers get paid more, students do better. In one  ..read more

Ed Trust speaks out against Bill Lee’s voucher scheme The Education Trust of Tennessee is out with a statement opposing Gov. Lee’s school voucher scheme. While there are key differences between the voucher expansion bills sponsored by Rep. Lamberth and Senator Johnson respectively (HB1183/SB503), The Education Trust—Tennessee stands in opposition to both versions. Our concerns with universal vouchers include, but are not limited to, their negative fiscal impact on public schools, the lack of civil rights protections for students, the lack transparency and accountability on their effectiveness ..read more

Will the ASD finally close its doors? Peter Greene offers hope in his latest piece that Tennessee’s failed Achievement School District may finally close. For over a decade, Tennessee has been home to an ambitious plan for turning around low-achieving schools. Now Chalkbeat reports that state leaders are ready to shut down this failed experiment. MORE on the ASD: Failed: Another ASD Story Lee Continues Predictable Privatization Push ..read more