The legislation would create what a federal education deregulation cooperation task force charged with investigating the Tennessee impact of recent presidential administration efforts to slash the U.S. Department of Education.

Speaking to House Education Committee members Wednesday evening, Representative Mark White said only 17 percent of the district’s students demonstrate proficiency in math, and just 23 percent meet reading proficiency standards.

Representative Mark Cochran, R-Englewood, announced Wednesday morning that he plans to amend his legislation without including the key compromise announced in the Senate that would study the state’s accountability system instead of weakening it.

Legislation that supporters say will help ensure public charter schools are approved timely and without political bias advanced from the House Education Committee Tuesday, but not without multiple misleading statements by Knoxville-based opponents.

Watson told committee members his bill is meant to help gather information and ease what he calls a financial burden placed on local districts with English language learnerprograms, pointing to a steady rise in the costs of those programs over the past eight years.

The committee found several factors are making it more challenging to recruit career and technology (CTE) teachers, including money.  The report said teacher salaries remain significantly lower than wages in many CTE industries.

State Representative Rick Scarbrough is co-sponsoring legislation that would require school districts that report credible threats of violence or significantly disruptive behavior to law enforcement, to notify parents within 48 hours.

Senator Lowe’s legislation would create a ten-member advisory committee appointed by state leaders to study the state’s testing and accountability systems.

Under the bill, the education commissioner would be able to recommend the removal of the director of schools and some or all school board members.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 Plyler vs. Doe decision prohibits public schools from refusing to admit undocumented students and the legislation is envisioned by supporters as an opportunity to challenge that decision.

During a school board meeting Tuesday night, the MSCS board voted unanimously to support a resolution opposing state intervention and calling on other elected officials to oppose it as well.

The bill, brought by Speaker Pro Tempore Pat Marsh, R-Shelbyville, would allow local school boards to introduce a merit-based pay structure to award additional compensation to high-performing educators.

The Governor Bill Lee backed legislation would allow charter applicants the ability to apply directly to the charter commission if they want to open a school in a district that has had three charter denials overturned in three straight years.

Nondegree credentials focus on specific competencies and include diplomas, certificates, and industry credentials other than a traditional postsecondary degree.

The department’s workforce has already been slashed by nearly half, but President Trump says this move will return power over education decisions to the states.

The 6th district congressman made a commitment to appoint a commissioner for the Department of Education that has experience in a Tennessee classrom

Senator Todd Gardenhire’s, R-Chattanooga, legislation would expand the Education Savings Account (ESA) pilot program implemented in 2022 to include students in Montgomery, Knox, and Rutherford Counties.

Representative Cochran’s legislation removes every end of course assessment high school students take but science and instead requires students to take a postsecondary readiness assessment like the ACT in math and English language arts each year in grades 9-11.

School board members unanimously supported a resolution Tuesday night opposing state intervention in the Tennessee school district and calling on elected officials elsewhere to join them.