TNFIREFLY FOCUS
Where Do They Stand
on Education?
Every outlet tracks polls and money. Only TNFirefly breaks down what each candidate's platform means for Tennessee's 1 million public school students, 70,000 teachers, and the families who depend on them.
Why This Matters Right Now
Governor Lee's final budget proposes doubling the Education Freedom Scholarship to 40,000 students and raising teacher starting pay to $50,000 by 2027. The next governor will inherit these programs and decide whether to expand, modify, or eliminate them. Over 50,000 families applied for 20,000 Education Freedom Scholarship slots this January alone. Education is the defining issue of this race, and candidates are deeply split on the Education Freedom Scholarship program.
📊 What Voters Say — TSS Statewide Poll, Feb 2026
A new statewide survey of 500 registered voters reveals where Tennesseans actually stand on these education issues:
87%Want accountability for schools
82%Support open enrollment
81%Say testing matters
64%Say money isn't spent well
Source: Tennesseans for Student Success Statewide Survey · 500 RV · ± 4.4%
Issue 01
School Choice & Education Freedom Scholarship
Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship program provides $7,300 per student for private school expenses. Governor Lee wants to double the program to 40,000 students. This is among the sharpest dividing lines between Democrats and Republicans.
Marsha Blackburn
Republican
Strongly Supports Expansion
Blackburn has made the Education Freedom Scholarship program a central plank of her education platform. She appeared in Americans for Prosperity radio ads alongside Glenn Jacobs promoting vouchers during the 2025 special session. She compares her fight for school choice to her early 2000s campaign against a state income tax.
"A parent shouldn't have to win the lottery to have a choice in their child's education. I won't stop until every student in Tennessee has an equal opportunity to succeed."
John Rose
Republican
Strongly Supports Expansion
Rose supports school choice and expansion to the Education Freedom Scholarship program. He says he believes it will introduce competition into the public education system.
"Competition is a very good thing, and so when you can introduce more choices, more options for parents and for children, I think that's a good thing. We have to be honest with ourselves, public schools in some communities are failing us, and so we need to prod those schools by providing effective choices for parents and competition."
Source: Tennessee Firefly, Sep 2025
Monty Fritts
Republican
Would Suspend the Education Freedom Scholarship
Fritts is the outlier in the Republican field. He calls the Education Freedom Scholarship "fiscally irresponsible" and "unconstitutional" and has pledged to suspend it. His campaign website states he would "end fiscally irresponsible, unconstitutional Education Freedom Scholarship programs." This puts him directly at odds with Blackburn, Rose, and the broader Republican establishment.
Jerri Green
Democrat
Opposes — Prioritizes Public Schools
Green opposes the Education Freedom Scholarship program and claims it diverts resources from the public education system. She additionally criticizes it from an equity standpoint, saying economically disadvantaged children and those from small communities lack the ability to use the scholarship.
"I believe deeply that these small towns are being robbed of public-school dollars. On top of that, in places like Memphis, all we're doing is welfare for the rich."
Source: Tennessee Firefly, Oct 2025
TNFirefly Analysis
The issue of expanding the Education Freedom Scholarship creates some notable distinctions in the Republican primary: Blackburn as the full-throttle expansion candidate, Rose as the candidate who supports expansion, but does not place it as a central campaign priority, and Fritts running directly against it. With 50,000+ families applying for 20,000 slots, demand clearly exists – but the program remains deeply polarizing in rural districts where private school options are limited and among liberal voters. The next governor could face pressure to expand the program further while managing pushback from public school advocates.
Issue 02
Teacher Pay & Education Leadership
Tennessee ranks in the bottom half of states for teacher pay. Gov. Lee's final budget proposes a $50,000 starting salary by 2027. The current Education Commissioner, Lizzette Reynolds, was not certified to teach in Tennessee when she was appointed — a controversy that has shaped this race.
John Rose
Republican
Supports Commissioner with TN Teaching Experience
Rose has made teacher leadership his signature education issue. His first campaign promise was to appoint an Education Commissioner with Tennessee teaching experience — a direct contrast to the current commissioner. The son of a public school teacher, Rose describes teachers as the backbone of the education system.
"I love our Tennessee teachers, and that's why as governor, I promise to appoint a Commissioner of Education who has Tennessee teaching experience."
Marsha Blackburn
Republican
Supports "Best Person for the Job"
Blackburn has not made specific commitments on commissioner qualifications. She told the Tennessee Firefly that it's "premature" to say how she'd approach the search for a new commissioner, though she did say she wants the best person for the job.
"Our children deserve that and Tennessee taxpayers deserve that, and that's what people are wanting to see. They want to see somebody who is going to be the best person for the job."
Source: Tennessee Firefly Feb 2025
Jerri Green
Democrat
Supports Increased Investment
Green has framed her campaign around valuing the people who serve Tennessee children. As a council member, she increased funding for first responders and public services. Her education platform calls for raising teacher pay and restoring respect to the profession. Specific pay targets have not been published yet.
Issue 03
Public School Funding (TISA)
The Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act (TISA) replaced the decades-old BEP funding formula in 2023. Gov. Lee's final budget includes $170 million in new TISA funding. How the next governor handles public school funding alongside expanding vouchers will define Tennessee education for a generation.
Marsha Blackburn
Republican
No Specific Position on TISA
Blackburn's education focus has been primarily on school choice. She has not publicly addressed TISA funding levels or proposed changes to the formula. As a federal officeholder, she has had limited engagement with state funding mechanisms.
John Rose
Republican
Supports Public + Choice
Rose has consistently emphasized that choice and public school investment must go together. While he hasn't committed to specific TISA funding levels, his rhetoric around "strengthening our public education system" suggests he would maintain or increase public school funding alongside school choice programs.
Source: NewsChannel 9, Mar 2025
Jerri Green
Democrat
Supports Increased Public-School Investment
Green's core message is public school investment and calls to "fully fund" K-12 education. She has been critical of what she sees as the current administration siphoning public education dollars to private schools through the Education Freedom Scholarship.
Source: Campaign Website
Monty Fritts
Republican
No Specific Position
Fritts has not outlined specific TISA funding positions during his campaign.
Issue 04
Pre-K & Early Childhood Education
Tennessee's voluntary Pre-K program serves a fraction of eligible children. Research consistently shows early childhood education delivers the highest return on investment of any education spending.
Jerri Green
Democrat
Supports Universal Pre-K
Green supports investing in universal Pre-K and her campaign centers childcare and early education as kitchen-table economic issues for working families. As a Memphis City Council member, she expanded pre-K access and youth programming.
Adam "Ditch" Kurtz
Democrat
Supports Universal Pre-K
Kurtz lists education as his "#1 priority" and supports free pre-K for all Tennessee children. He would fund education expansion through marijuana legalization, with tax revenue directed to public schools. The most specific education funding mechanism of any candidate.
Marsha Blackburn
Republican
No Specific Position
Blackburn has not publicly addressed pre-K expansion as a campaign priority. Her school choice advocacy focuses on expanding access to the Education Freedom Scholarship program rather than early childhood programs.
John Rose
Republican
No Specific Position
Rose has not made pre-K a campaign focus. His education platform centers on K-12 teacher leadership and the commissioner appointment.
Issue 05
Charter Schools
Tennessee has over 100 public charter schools, mostly in Nashville and Memphis. Recent TCAP data shows charter students gaining in math and ELA proficiency. The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission has authority to authorize new charters statewide.
Marsha Blackburn
Republican
Supports
Blackburn voted in favor of the initial bill that created public charter schools as a state senator. She supports expanding them into rural and suburban counties, along with dedicated funding for facilities. She calls charter schools "labs of innovation."
"I think that charter schools can be the labs of innovation for public school systems, giving teachers the flexibility, working with students."
Source: Tennessee Firefly, Feb 2026
John Rose
Republican
Supports
Rose supports charter schools and would like to see more of them in suburban and rural communities. He also supports increasing funding for them, including increased funding for facilities.
"They get public support, but it's not the same complete support that we give to (traditional) public schools, and so if we want them to thrive, we need to make sure that they have the tools that they can use there."
Source: Tennessee Firefly, Sep 2025
Jerri Green
Democrat
No Specific Position
Green has not specifically addressed charter schools during her campaign. She did sign on to an op-ed that criticized the performance of charter schools and the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission's role in approving them.
Source: The Tennessean, March 2022
Monty Fritts
Republican
No Specific Position
Fritts has not made charter schools a campaign issue. He has posted criticism of charter school expansion on social media.
Issue 06
Workforce Readiness & Career Training
Tennessee is an automotive manufacturing hub. Nashville was recently selected for Amazon's Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance. The state needs workers trained in industrial trades, IT, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing.
John Rose
Republican
Emphasis on Job Training
Rose has highlighted the need for education to "equip students for the jobs of tomorrow." As a businessman and former Agriculture Commissioner, he frames education through an economic development lens. He also supports Trump's plan to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education, which he says would give states more autonomy to design career-relevant programs.
Source: Tennessee Firefly, March 2025
Marsha Blackburn
Republican
Supports CTE Expansion
Blackburn plans to make expanding access to the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCAT) system a priority for her administration to address future job shortages.
"We're going to be 315,000 jobs short over the next decade in these skill trades. So, making certain that there is access to this vocational training."
Source: Tennessee Firefly, February 2026
Jerri Green
Democrat
Jobs & Wages Focus
Green's campaign emphasizes wages and economic opportunity. She has voiced support for organized labor, including UAW workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant. She frames workforce readiness through the lens of living wages and worker protections alongside training.
Source: WDEF, Aug 2025
Issue 07
TCAP Testing & Academic Standards
Tennessee students take the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) every spring, and high school students take end-of-course (EOC) assessments. Testing policy affects teacher evaluations, school ratings, and student advancement.
Marsha Blackburn
Republican
Supports Existing Testing System
Blackburn has been a supporter of President Trump's education policies, including requiring annual state testing for students. She has framed her support for testing around the need to be transparent with parents about what the results show and to use testing data to improve student outcomes.
"One of the things we have to do is look at when we have data, how we're going to use that data, and then making certain that we are transparent about what that data is telling us."
Source: Tennessee Firefly, February 2026
John Rose
Republican
Supports Existing Testing System
Rose supports preserving Tennessee's existing testing system. He would be open to tweaks to it, but believes assessments provide measures to see what's working and what isn't working.
"My experience in business taught me that, and it's an old adage, what gets measured gets done, so I think the truth is we need those measurements."
Source: Tennessee Firefly, Sep 2025
Monty Fritts
Republican
Opposes Existing Standardized Testing System
Fritts has not made testing a signature issue in his campaign but he says he voted against continuing the Tennessee Department of Education because of its "over-emphasis on standardized testing." He has not released specifics for how he'd change the existing testing system.
Source: Tennessee Firefly Oct 2025
Democratic Candidates
Democrat
No Specific Positions
Democratic candidates have not addressed the TCAP or EOC in their campaigns or called for changes.
TNFirefly Analysis
No candidate has made testing a major campaign issue, despite its important role in public education. This is an area where voter questionnaires and debates could force candidates to take more vocal positions. We will be tracking this closely as the primary approaches.
Issue 08
School Safety
Following the Covenant School shooting in 2023, school safety has been a defining issue in Tennessee. Nashville schools recently expanded weapons detection systems to all high schools. Tennessee has not passed significant gun safety legislation since the tragedy.
Jerri Green
Democrat
Supports Expanding Mental Health Screenings
Green wants to ensure every public high school can provide mental health screenings. She is additionally a three-time gun violence survivor and the former statewide election lead for Tennessee Moms Demand Action. She frames school safety as inseparable from broader gun safety policy.
John Rose
Republican
Supports Strengthening Mental Health and School Security
Rose has pledged support for mental health resources and strengthening school security. He is a strong Second Amendment and constitutional carry supporter and opposes gun control solutions to school safety.
Source: Press Release, June 2022
Marsha Blackburn
Republican
Supports Expanded Security
Blackburn co-sponsored the SAFE School Act to provide schools with funding to train and hire veterans and former law enforcement officers to serve as school safety officers. She is also a supporter of the Second Amendment and a gun owner.
Source: Press Release, March 2023
Issue 09
Federal Role in Education
President Trump has called for dissolving the U.S. Department of Education. Tennessee receives significant federal education funding. The next governor will need to navigate potential changes in federal education policy and funding streams.
John Rose
Republican
Supports Dissolving Dept. of Ed
Rose explicitly supports Trump's plan to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education. He frames it as returning power to states and describes states as "laboratories for democracy" that produce better solutions through local control and experimentation.
Source: Tennessee Firefly, March 2025
Marsha Blackburn
Republican
Supports Dissolving Dept. of Ed
Blackburn explicitly supports Trump's plan to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education. She frames it as an opportunity for a reset with a "leader that can chart the path forward."
Source: Tennessee Firefly, Oct 2025
Monty Fritts
Republican
Supports Closing State Department of Education
Fritts campaigns against federal overreach but has not published a position on eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. He was the sole lawmaker to vote against continuing the Tennessee Department of Education, arguing it has an "over-reliance on standardized testing."
Source: Tennessee Firefly, Oct 2025
This tracker is produced by The Tennessee Firefly, an education journalism outlet covering all 95 Tennessee counties. All information is sourced from public records, official filings, and verified reporting. We do not endorse candidates. Factual information is clearly separated from analysis. Learn more about our standards.
