Legislation
Lawmakers propose increasing teacher classroom supply deduction limit to $1K(The Center Square) – U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tennessee, is a co-sponsor of bipartisan legislation to increase the amount schoolteachers can deduct for classroom supplies to $1,000 per year. The… Read More
Public Education
Parents sue Tennessee school board for keeping explicit books in school libraries despite new lawParents are suing a Tennessee school board, claiming it violated the Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022. The lawsuit, filed by state Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, on the parents’ behalf, alleges… Read More
Public Education
High school reverses speech policies after student sues over suspension for posting memes about principal(Daily Caller News Foundation) – A Tennessee high school has reversed its speech policies following a lawsuit by a 17-year-old student who was suspended for posting memes about the principal,… Read More
Courts
Teachers’ union drops lawsuit against Tennessee law blocking automatic paycheck withdrawal of dues(The Center Square) – The Tennessee Education Association dropped its lawsuit about the automatic withdrawal of dues out of teacher paychecks after a three-judge panel denied the group’s request to… Read More
Public Education
Tennessee school district labels whites, Christians and ‘able-bodied’ as privileged, training documents revealA training on “cultural competency” offered by a Tennessee school district labels whites, Christians and the “able-bodied” as privileged, while classifying people of color, the “polyamorous” and people with disabilities… Read More
Legislation
Law ending automatic dues withdrawals for Tennessee educators to start after ruling(The Center Square) – A law ending the practice of having professional organization dues directly withdrawn from K-12 educator paychecks in Tennessee will be allowed to go into effect. A… Read More
Public Education
Hillsdale-affiliated charter school fights back against Tennessee school board’s ‘lack of integrity’A struggling public school district in Tennessee has nonetheless rejected the application of a Hillsdale-affiliated charter school – but the education reformers are fighting back. American Classical Education (ACE) is… Read More
Courts
Teachers union sues red state over law that prohibits teaching of critical race theory(Daily Caller News Foundation) – The Tennessee Education Association (TEA), along with several teachers, filed a lawsuit against the Tennessee Commissioner of Education and members of the State Board of… Read More
Courts
High school student sues Tennessee school district and officials for a suspension over off-campus social media postsA Tennessee high school student is suing his school district and administrator after being suspended for posting sardonic memes about the principal on social media. “This case is about a… Read More
Legislation
Tennessee approves 7,800 appeals of third-grade reading retention law(The Center Square) – More than 86% of the appeals filed related to Tennessee’s third-grade retention law succeeded and the student will advance to fourth grade in the first year… Read More
Public Education
A Tennessee public school district is giving students credit for religious coursesA Tennessee public school district has approved a policy allowing high school students to receive graduation credit for religious classes taken outside of school. The board of Knox County Schools… Read More
Public Education
Poll: Tennessee residents support expanding K-12 ESA voucher program(The Center Square) – Tennessee residents support expanding the state’s educational savings account program to the rest of the state, according to a new wide-ranging poll from Beacon Center. The… Read More
Public Education
Tennessee governor announces applications open for $200M in school safety fundsThe Tennessee governor Wednesday announced nearly $200 million in grants to bolster security at the state’s schools. “Nothing is more important than making sure Tennessee students and teachers return home… Read More
Courts
Teachers’ union files suit over new Tennessee law blocking automatic dues withdrawals(The Center Square) – The Tennessee Education Association has filed a lawsuit over a law that eliminates the option for automatic payroll dues deductions for its public employee members. Tennessee… Read More
Public Education
Tennessee public school officials apologize after teacher forcibly took cross necklace from studentA middle school teacher in Tennessee has apologized for forcibly taking a cross necklace from a student during a book fair. The child was said to be confused and embarrassed… Read More
Public Education
Most Tennessee districts report little improvement after 3rd grade test retake(The Center Square) – The majority of Tennessee school districts saw less than 25% of the students who re-took the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program third-grade reading test advanced to a… Read More
Culture
State legislatures battle over parental rights, gender procedures(The Center Square) – State legislatures across the country this year have debated parental rights in reproductive care and gender-related procedures for children. Democratic state lawmakers have sought to protect… Read More
Public Education
60% of Tennessee third-graders did not meeting reading result expectations(The Center Square) – Sixty percent of Tennessee third-graders did not meet the reading score requirement on the Tennessee Comprehensive Academic Program to qualify to advance to fourth grade without… Read More
Public Education
Previously assaulted teacher gets peppered sprayed as U.S. school violence spreadsA teacher who was previously assaulted at school was pepper sprayed by a student in Tennessee, part of a growing trend of violence in public schools. The pepper… Read More
Legislation
TN Gov. Lee signs Tennessee ESA voucher expansion to Chattanooga area(The Center Square) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill into law on Friday that expands the state’s pilot educational savings account program to Hamilton County, which includes the… Read More