Germantown teachers will be getting bonuses
The state-funded bonuses were part of the controversial school-voucher legislation.
There are 55 article(s) tagged School vouchers:
The state-funded bonuses were part of the controversial school-voucher legislation.
“I have come to conclude is that school voucher programs nationwide are not necessary and create far more problems than they solve.”
While the $447 million initiative has been touted as a “universal” program for anyone interested, Republican leaders included a key provision: Students living in the country illegally will be prohibited from participating.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Monday proposed more than $1 billion into road projects financed by a one-time use of general state tax money and a plan to shift $80 million annually from the sales tax on tires.
The Lakeland School System Board of Education has taken a stance on Gov. Lee’s voucher program, seeking equal standards for between public and private schools receiving the funds.
The House and the Senate passed the Education Freedom Act, legislation championed by Gov. Bill Lee.
The Education Freedom Act passed the state House Education Committe, the House Government Operations Committee, the House Finance Ways and Means Committee and the House Calendar and Rules Committee.
With the discussion of school vouchers beginning this week, suburban leaders said they are watching the events in Nashville and hoping the special session doesn’t mean approval of the controversial approach.
“Every vote for vouchers takes tax money, your money, from already underfunded public schools and gives it to private schools.”
Critics of Tennessee’s voucher proposal allege the program is financially unsustainable in the long term and will siphon funds away from public schools.
A public school teacher on vouchers: “Let’s be honest, today we’re far more interested in satisfying our own personal interests and we expect the taxpayer to foot the bill. We are entitled.”
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.
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.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who is chairman of the Republican Governors Association, also endorsed Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump as he talked about political unity by the nation’s Republican Governors in resisting Democratic policies.
Gov. Bill Lee said Tuesday, May 7, the ability to open carry firearms — and “constitutional rights” — are not the issue when it comes to Memphis and Shelby County crime.
Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee campaigned on vouchers in both 2018 and 2022, but the bill’s chances of becoming law appeared in jeopardy last week. Lawmakers questioned the cost, the effect on private schools and the changing nature of the legislation.
Even with the budget approved in the House and Senate, lawmakers still remained divided on whether they’ll advance any proposal to spend vastly more public money to send students to private schools throughout the state.
Both resolutions are not binding and have little effect, but they express the body’s political will at a time when many members feel Shelby County’s autonomy is under threat from the Tennessee General Assembly.
A legal challenge to Tennessee’s private school voucher law is back on track after a state appeals court ruled that a lower court erred in dismissing the case.
Memphis’ homicide rate, school vouchers and passenger rail were among the topics discussed on this week’s “Behind The Headlines.”
Suburban school districts have come out swiftly and strongly against Gov. Lee’s expansion of the state’s education voucher program.
State lawmakers narrowly approved the so-called education savings accounts initiative for the three counties in 2019.
Tennessee Senate lawmakers approved the expansion of an education voucher program, currently just for Shelby and Davidson Counties, that allows public tax dollars to be given to families to pay for private schooling to Hamilton County.
The Tennessee Attorney General’s office asked a Nashville court to dismiss the case, saying the counties had lost all their relevant arguments.
With the implementation of the Education Savings Account Program, families in Shelby County can receive nearly $8,200 toward tuition, fees and transportation to attend Catholic schools.