LOCAL EDUCATION NEWS
Extreme weather, rising temperatures, and other environmental changes are affecting how Tennessee students learn and thrive, and experts say action is needed now.
Lawmakers passed the legislation last year, requiring every public school district in the state to develop an age-appropriate curriculum for all grade levels, including kindergarteners.
Beginning this school year, the district plans to recalculate each transfer student’s grade point average (GPA) from their prior schools using Williamson County Schools’ weighted scale for honors and other higher-level courses.
Tennessee’s two largest school districts, Metro Nashville Public Schools and Memphis-Shelby County Schools, posted historic academic growth for the fourth year in a row, earning the state’s top rating on student progress in 2025, according to new Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) results.
Commissioners unanimously voted to reverse the Metro Nashville Board of Education’s June decision denying The Rock Academy’s application and upheld the board’s denial of The Forge School on a split 5-3 vote.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) reported that they completed 9,055 infrastructure work orders over the summer at the district’s school board meeting Tuesday, despite several infrastructure issues at start-of-school-year.
Students at The Forge School will begin working on career certifications as early as the sixth grade, and their academic journey will include job shadowing and internships with school partners to help prepare for a career immediately after high school or college.
The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) announced Dr. Brandi De La Cruz, a mathematics teacher at Collierville High School, as the 2025–26 Tennessee Teacher of the Year.
If approved by the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, The Rock Academy would open in 2026 with an initial class of 88 freshmen and then add a grade each year.
Wilson County School Board members approved a new health insurance plan for 2026 that will increase employee contributions by at least $600 annually.
The lawsuit stems from two seventh grade family life classes that occurred last May at Legacy Middle School in Franklin.
Tennessee’s public charter schools face an estimated $1,500 per-pupil facilities funding gap compared to traditional public schools, according to new data from the Tennessee Charter School Center (TCSC).
Half a dozen parents, including Kindall Maupin, utilized the meeting’s public comment phase to attack Dr. Battle’s leadership, and a recent $6.5 million legal settlement with former district administrators approved by the Board of Education.
A new statewide poll of Tennessee teachers found many remain skeptical of cellphone use at school.
The proposed sixth through 12th grade public charter school is designed to provide hands-on, real-world learning to students who are interested in careers in architecture, construction, or engineering.
On Friday, Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Robert Childers issued an order denying Feagins’ request for a preliminary injunction of her controversial termination.
Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) is teaming up with Vanderbilt University on a new $450 thousand research project aimed at tackling one of the city’s most pressing education challenges: chronic absenteeism.
When Stephanie Coleman became president and CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce in February 2025, she brought with her a clear vision for the organization’s future…
Tennessee State Board of Education (SBE) Chairman Robert Eby’s proposed study of Tennessee’s foreign language graduation requirement is sparking backlash from education leaders, college officials, and concerned community members.
Rocketship Executive Director Eric Dailey tells the Tennessee Firefly that his organization is only planning to appeal the narrow 4-3 decision in Rutherford County to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.
The Tennessee Nature Academy held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for its new school building that will open on 23 acres of donated land in Cane Ridge next year.
The vote aligns with a recommendation from the district charter review team that found the school met all state standards.
A controversial effort to reset all Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) board terms in 2026 hit pause Monday as the Shelby County Commission delayed its vote, citing legal concerns and public backlash over what critics call an unconstitutional power grab.
The parent advocacy organization is upset that Battle’s administration is paying a reported $6.5 million in a legal settlement with five former school administrators who sued the district for alleged discrimination.
Board members Tammy Sharp, Katie Darby, Stan Vaught, and Vice-Chair Frances voted in support of Novus SMART, while Chair Claire Maxwell, Butch Vaughn, and Caleb Tidwell voted against it.
A new state legislative advisory committee met Thursday in Nashville to explore whether the state’s current 180-day school calendar should be replaced by a more flexible instructional time model, measured in hours or minutes.
With Tennessee’s annual Tax-Free Weekend scheduled for July 26–28, families across the state are preparing for back-to-school purchases.
Members of the Rutherford County Schools Board of Education denied Rocketship’s application in April, but multiple members encouraged the charter operator to make revisions and resubmit for a vote tonight.
The Hamilton County School Board voted unanimously to reject the amended application for the proposed Tennessee Wildflower Public School, citing unresolved deficiencies despite revisions.
On Thursday, members of the Rutherford County Board of Education will decide whether to approve Jeremy Sager’s application to open Novus SMART Academy (K-8).