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Tennessee FireflyShining a light on education & government in Tennessee
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Tennessee Firefly

Shining a light on education & government in Tennessee

Independent journalism focused on Tennessee education policy, news, and the stories that matter to students, parents, and educators across all 95 counties.

3 free newsletters · Tennessee Firefly

Tennessee education, three ways.

Tuesday briefing. Thursday deep-dive. Friday mixtape. All three free.

The Signal·The Beam·Friday Flicker

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News

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For Families

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Money & Policy

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2026 Election

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LIVE
6Days to PrimaryAug 6, 2026
95Days to GeneralNov 3, 2026
1,697TN Schools trackedAll 95 counties
$21.7MRaised in 2026 governor raceAcross all qualifying candidates
Special Series · Live TrackerTennessee's Next Governor
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Featured Story

Two New Public Charter Schools Approved in Memphis

Board members unanimously voted in favor of the Urban Dove schools and expressed some support for a third charter applicant.

JUL 29, 2026Sky ArnoldFeatured
Read Full Story
Two New Public Charter Schools Approved in Memphis

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Senator Blackburn Threatens Lawsuit Over Possible AI-Generated Attack Ad
State Government
JUL 28, 2026Firefly Staff

Senator Blackburn Threatens Lawsuit Over Possible AI-Generated Attack Ad

The advertisement includes claims that Blackburn’s campaign calls a ‘calculated attempt to deceive viewers.’

UT Partnership Wins $160M Grant to Transform Underused Farmland
College and Higher Edu...
JUL 29, 2026Zoe Kuhn

UT Partnership Wins $160M Grant to Transform Underused Farmland

The funding will help create solutions to turn around farms across Tennessee and Alabama.

Public Charter School Founders Warn Funding, Facility Challenges Threaten Long-Term Viability
State Education
JUL 28, 2026Jacob Holley

Public Charter School Founders Warn Funding, Facility Challenges Threaten Long-Term Viability

Two charter founders discussed gaps their schools face compared to traditional public schools.

Live · Thursday, Jul 30

Today in Tennessee

What's happening across the state, refreshed throughout the day.

Live
1,697TN public schools tracked95counties covered142school districts132GA legislators on scorecards1,848Tennessee Firefly articles$21.7Mraised across 21 '26 governor candidates15polls tracked in governor's race45TISA / school funding stories868state-government articles$10.9MJohn Rose leads governor fundraising1,697TN public schools tracked95counties covered142school districts132GA legislators on scorecards1,848Tennessee Firefly articles$21.7Mraised across 21 '26 governor candidates
Live Tracker · Special Series

Tennessee's Next Governor

Who's running, who's raising money, and where do they stand on education? Our nonpartisan tracker follows every declared candidate, campaign dollar, and policy position, updated as the race unfolds.

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Election 2026Primary Aug 6 · General Nov 3

Around Tennessee

The latest education news from across the Volunteer State

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Nashville

Metro Nashville Board of Education Could Approve First Charter School Since 2021

JUL 27, 2026 • Jacob Holley

Metro Nashville Board of Education Could Approve First Charter School Since 2021

Two proposed charter schools achieved the highest rating since 2014.

More Nashville news→
🎺

Memphis

Memphis-Shelby County Schools Partners with tnAchieves to Better Support Students

JUL 24, 2026 • Zoe Kuhn

Memphis-Shelby County Schools Partners with tnAchieves to Better Support Students

The partnership aims to increase the college-going rate in more than 15 schools.

More Memphis news→
🏔️

Knoxville

Rep. Elaine Davis Runs on Education Record, Challenger Brent Jones Ignores Firefly Questions

JUL 28, 2026 • Sky Arnold

Rep. Elaine Davis Runs on Education Record, Challenger Brent Jones Ignores Firefly Questions

Jones declined to respond to multiple questions from the Tennessee Firefly about key education issues affecting Knoxville’s House District 18.

Tools for Tennessee

Built for the way you actually use education news.

Other outlets cover the headlines. We build the infrastructure underneath: every district, every legislator, every event, searchable, subscribable, citeable.

Your district, in one view

Your School

Type your ZIP. Get the full picture: board meetings, charter applications, transparency grade, legislative actions affecting you, and the latest reporting, all assembled into one subscribable dashboard.

Find your district →
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Master Calendar

Every TN board meeting across all 142 districts, every charter vote, every General Assembly committee hearing, every State Board of Education meeting. One feed. Subscribe in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook.

Open the calendar →
A–F audit · all 142 districts

Transparency Scorecards

How transparent is your school district? Tennessee Firefly grades every public school district on Open Meetings Act compliance, document availability, and public-records responsiveness. Methodology published in full.

See the grades →
3 free newsletters, one TN arc

Tennessee Firefly Newsletters

The Signal on Tuesday morning. The Beam on Thursday morning. Friday Flicker on Friday afternoon. One signup, all three, free forever. Subscribe in 30 seconds.

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THE PODCAST

On The Fly

Deep dives into Tennessee education policy, interviews with lawmakers, educators, and the people shaping our schools.

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On The Fly Podcast
COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY

Higher Education

News from Tennessee's colleges, universities, and beyond

Memphis-Shelby County Schools Partners with tnAchieves to Better Support Students
Higher Education

JUL 24, 2026

Memphis-Shelby County Schools Partners with tnAchieves to Better Support Students

The partnership aims to increase the college-going rate in more than 15 schools.

Changes Designed to Support ‘Good-Paying, In-Demand’ Careers Approved
Higher Education

JUL 24, 2026

Changes Designed to Support ‘Good-Paying, In-Demand’ Careers Approved

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission passed an important update on Thursday for how colleges and universities are f...

Proposed Higher Education Funding Change Would Incorporate Trump’s New Grant Program
Higher Education

JUL 21, 2026

Proposed Higher Education Funding Change Would Incorporate Trump’s New Grant Program

The Workforce Pell Grant is intended to match prospective workers with short-term training for high-demand jobs.

View All Higher Ed News →

Covering Education Across All 95 Tennessee Counties

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The Tennessee Firefly newsletter family

Tennessee education, three ways.

The Signal·The Beam·Friday Flicker

Tuesday briefing. Thursday deep-dive. Friday mixtape. Free, always.

Free, always. One-click preference center in every email.

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15polls tracked in governor's race
45TISA / school funding stories
868state-government articles
$10.9MJohn Rose leads governor fundraising
Special Session Convened

Capitol

SPECIAL SESSIONTN Capitol · live activity

Governor convened a special legislative session

  • 0State SenatorsUpper chamber · 4-year terms
  • 0State RepresentativesLower chamber · 2-year terms
  • 0Live video streamsSenate · House · Joint
Capitol Live → →
All 95 Counties

Schools

SY 2024–25Schools graded
095 counties · 144 districts
Latest · Mon, Jul 27

Metro Nashville Board of Education Could Approve First Charter School Since 2021

Jacob HolleyRead story →
  • 0Counties trackedStatewide coverage
  • 0School data toolsACT · Grad · CCR · Flight · Equity
  • 0Your SchoolDistrict dashboards by ZIP
School Grades Explorer →
TISA · Per-Pupil Spending

Funding

TISA EXPLAINEDFunding explainers
0TISA · BEP · Local budgets · Formula
TISA Watch · Tue, Jul 28

Public Charter School Founders Warn Funding, Facility Challenges Threaten Long-Term Viability

Jacob HolleyRead story →
  • 0TISA articles publishedTagged TISA / school funding
Updated Jul 30

Election 2026

UPDATED JUL 30Total raised
$0.0MAcross 21 declared candidates
Top Fundraiser · Updated Jul 30

John Rose

R · $10.9M raisedSee finance →
  • 0Declared candidates3R · 5D · 13I
  • 0Polls tracked538-style aggregator
  • 0Days to primaryAug 6, 2026
More Knoxville news→
🚂

Chattanooga

Chatt Prep Narrowly Denied Expansion Despite Large Academic Improvements

JUL 20, 2026 • Jacob Holley

Chatt Prep Narrowly Denied Expansion Despite Large Academic Improvements

The Hamilton County Board of Education could not reach the required majority for approval due to absences.

More Chattanooga news→
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State-government coverage
Statehouse · Capitol · TDOE
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