Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian | Marta W. Aldrich

Here are the charter operators applying to open or run schools in Tennessee in 2026-27

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 19:28:35 -0600

Two groups want to open the first charter schools for at-risk students under a new state law.

Tennessee’s shrinking Achievement School District set to make its move

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:05:26 -0600

The operator of the last charter schools in the Tennessee’s turnaround district asks to continue managing them under Memphis-Shelby County Schools before state takeover.

Some Tennessee charter school applicants may bypass local districts

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 04:00:10 -0600

Gov. Bill Lee is pushing for a major revision to Tennessee charter school law to create ways for operators to bypass their local elected school boards.

NAEP results: Tennessee students buck grim national trends on nation’s report card

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 19:33:52 -0600

“Tennessee students did well relative to other states, and we did better than some of our neighbors,” Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds said.

TN universal school vouchers would cost at least $1.1B in first 5 years, state projects

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 19:50:01 -0600

The governor and the legislature’s GOP leaders are seeking even more funding for the program’s first year than the legislative analysis identifies.

Trump names former Tennessee schools chief Penny Schwinn to serve as deputy education secretary

emeltzer@chalkbeat.org (Erica Meltzer) — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 16:31:53 -0600

Penny Schwinn would bring the perspective of a state schools chief to her job.

New Tennessee charter school law for at-risk students draws interest in Memphis and Nashville

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 18:13:33 -0600

Three aspiring charter groups are interested in opening schools in Memphis and Nashville in 2026 under a new state law aimed at creating options for at-risk youth.

Few third- and fourth-graders are being retained under Tennessee reading law, data shows

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 05:43:27 -0600

Some 60% of Tennessee third-grade students scored below proficiency in English language arts on 2024 state tests. Fewer than 1% of them were retained under the state’s reading and retention law.

Tennessee K-12 school building costs escalate amid competing political priorities for education

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 04:00:12 -0600

Tennessee needs to spend about $9.8 billion on repairs, upgrades, or construction to keep its K-12 public school buildings safe and conducive to learning, according to a new state report.

Gov. Bill Lee backs Trump plan to abolish U.S. Department of Education

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 17:13:58 -0600

Lee called it “a great idea” to dismantle the agency, which was created under a 1979 federal law during President Jimmy Carter’s administration.

Tennessee teachers scoff at proposed bonuses linked to Gov. Lee’s school voucher plan

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 12:58:33 -0600

“It’s a one-time bonus that’s basically asking us to sell out our public schools,” said Liz Marable, a longtime Memphis educator who is currently president of the United Education Association of Shelby County. “But we are not for sale.”

Tennessee’s new universal school voucher bill has GOP leaders on the same page

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Wed, 6 Nov 2024 18:38:39 -0600

The governor said he looks forward to delivering on his promise for more education choices for parents.

Tennessee’s costly, disruptive school-turnaround work didn’t help students long term, says research

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Mon, 4 Nov 2024 04:00:00 -0600

The analysis has national implications for ongoing reforms aimed at making swift and dramatic improvement to persistently low-performing schools.

Tennessee is gearing up for another private school voucher debate. Here’s what we know.

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 18:17:41 -0500

Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson told school board members the governor is planning a “substantial” increase for public education funding in 2025 but didn’t specify how much or for what.

State renews charter for Wooddale Middle School, overturning Memphis board decision

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 18:16:22 -0500

The executive director of the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission said the school has shown improvement in the past two years and generally outperforms nearby middle schools operated by the local district.

How Tennessee’s largest school system is stepping up its literacy work

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 18:04:27 -0500

Superintendent Marie Feagins is embracing a “back to basics” approach to reading instruction as Memphis-Shelby County Schools seeks to improve student test results.

With all of Tennessee’s hurricane damage, will funding priorities change for schools, vouchers?

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Wed, 9 Oct 2024 18:27:37 -0500

“Our first priority now has got to be taking care of our neighbors in East Tennessee and helping them recover from this storm damage,” Rep. Mark White said.

Federal review of Memphis school district cites dozens of cases of sexual harassment and assault

egorski@chalkbeat.org (Eric Gorski) — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 19:13:02 -0500

Memphis-Shelby County Schools violated federal civil rights law by not adequately responding to complaints of sexual harassment and assault of students in a three-year period, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights announced Friday.

Amid big shifts, Memphis school district’s enrollment is up but still short of projections

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 18:05:17 -0500

More than 2,300 students who were expected to attend district schools haven’t shown up.

Tennessee law to let teachers carry guns in schools caused a ruckus, but has drawn little interest

maldrich@Chalkbeat.org (Marta W. Aldrich) — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 16:36:42 -0500

No Tennessee school system has indicated it’s working to train teachers or staff to be armed under the new law, according to dozens of school and law enforcement officials contacted by Chalkbeat.