Charter school proposals in both Cheatham and Robertson counties were denied at the School Board level last night. As was reported here, the Cheatham proposal was particularly controversial. In addition to opposition from at least one candidate for School Board, the proposal brought state Senate candidate Tony Gross and his wife out to express opposition.
Joey Garrison reported on the two rural charter proposals and also on a slate of new charters proposed and approved for Nashville.
The Robertson County Education Association, representing 90 percent of Robertson County teachers, has taken a vote of no confidence in Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman.
The RCEA indicated that Huffman is not listening to educators as he implements reforms and that the pace of reform is too fast and is causing good teachers to leave the field.
Similar concerns have been expressed by a teacher in Knox County whose presentation to the School Board there went viral.
Additionally, both Bradley County and Cleveland City passed resolutions questioning the pace of reform and the use of TVAAS in high-states decisions for educators.
Those actions followed similar votes in Marshall and Roane counties.
With school districts, teacher organizations, and superintendents from across the state challenging the pace and implementation of the state’s education reform, it seems likely that at least some action will be taken in response during the 2014 legislative session.
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