Tennessee Lawmakers Stress the Importance of Accountability in Moves to Remove Teacher Licensure Barriers
As Tennessee education leaders are moving forward with major changes to teacher licensure requirements, state legislators emphasized the need for these measures to be paired with strong accountability measures and targeted support to ensure teacher quality Wednesday morning.
Tennessee Lawmakers Express Interest in Tweaks to the Teacher Evaluation System while Preserving its Annual Timeline
Currently, 96 percent of teachers receive a level of effectiveness of meeting expectations or higher on the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM) evaluation system.
New Survey Finds Most Parents Would Send Their Kids to Private School if Tax Dollars Were Available
A new national survey reveals that most parents would send their children to private or religious schools if public funding were available, signaling a major shift in attitudes toward school choice. The 57th annual PDK Poll also found declining confidence in public schools, urgent concerns about teacher pay and staffing shortages, and broad opposition to eliminating the U.S. Department of Education.
Tennessee’s $9.5 Billion School Funding Plan Provides Fewer State Dollars Per Student than the Education Freedom Scholarship Plan
Tennessee education officials on Friday unveiled the full set of public-school funding allocations for districts across the state, and the average portion the state is providing is less per student than Tennessee is giving families through the new Education Freedom Scholarship.
Teacher’s Union President Encourages Advisory Committee to Recommend Reducing the Frequency of Evaluations
The Tennessee Education Association reaffirmed its support for proposed legislation from earlier this year it called “Freedom to Teach,” that would have removed the annual evaluations for roughly 95 percent of public school teachers.
Analysis of Tennessee’s Testing Data Finds Public Charter School Students Improving in Math and English
Statewide, three percent more charter students tested proficient in math on the TCAP than last year and English language arts proficiency grew by a single percentage point.
Tennessee Charter Schools Face $1,500 Per-Pupil Facilities Funding Gap, Survey Finds
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).
Sen. Blackburn Says Ed Freedom Scholarship Program Will be a Key Part of Her Ed Policy
The program, frequently referred to as vouchers, is providing 20 thousand children with tax dollars to pay for private school expenses, and Blackburn says it will be a key part of her education policy if she’s elected governor next year.
Trump-Appointed Education Secretary Linda McMahon Visits Tennessee to Promote State-Led School Policy and Literacy Gains
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited Tennessee on Wednesday as part of her nationwide “Returning Education to the States” tour,.
Tennessee Non-Traditional Degree Pathway Programs Need More Support to Retain Teachers, Researchers Say
Tennessee teachers who complete non-traditional pathways to licensure are significantly less likely than traditional degree program graduates to remain in the profession during their early careers, particularly by the start of their fifth year, according to a new study from TERA.
Tennessee Teachers Oppose Classroom Cellphone Use but Are Interested in Artificial Intelligence, Survey Finds
A new statewide poll of Tennessee teachers found many remain skeptical of cellphone use at school.
Poll: Tennessee Teachers Strongly Support Student-First Teacher Performance Evaluations
More than 80 percent of Tennessee teachers surveyed hold positive views of the state’s student-outcomes-based teacher evaluation system, according to the 2025 Tennessee Educator Survey released Friday.
Future Tennessee Teachers Can Now Qualify for Loan Forgiveness with Fewer Requirements
Aspiring Tennessee teachers now have a clearer and more affordable pathway into the classroom. THEC voted this week to revise the TN Future Teacher Scholarship program, cutting the required teaching commitment in half.
Senator Marsha Blackburn Highlights Support for School Choice in Gubernatorial Campaign Announcement
Blackburn promised to make Tennessee America’s number one “job-creating, energy-producing powerhouse” and highlighted her support for President Trump and his priorities on multiple issues including school choice and illegal immigration.
Tennessee Foreign Language Graduation Requirement Debate Sparks Outcry: Some Warn of ‘Devastating Consequences’
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.
Tennessee High School Class of 2026 Now Eligible to Apply for TN Promise
Tennessee’s Class of 2026 high school seniors can now take their first step toward tuition-free college through the Tennessee Promise program through Nov. 3.
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn Attempts to Weaken the Impact of the Nation’s Largest Teachers Union
Blackburn announced she’s sponsoring two bills to revoke the NEA’s charter and prevent it from lobbying the federal government.
Trump’s Plan to Eliminate U.S. Education Department Could Reshape Tennessee Schools, Lawmakers Say
Tennessee lawmakers convened the Joint Federal Education Deregulation Cooperation Task Force Tuesday morning assess the impact of President Donald Trump’s proposal to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
Study Finds Charter School Students Outperformed Their Peers Following the Pandemic
The research of Tennessee’s more than 100 public charter schools found these students consistently outperformed traditional school peers in math and English language arts following the pandemic.
Tennessee Lawmakers Reconsider 180-Day School Calendar Amid Push for Flexible Scheduling
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.

