Monthly Archives: December 2025

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2026 Nashville “Teacherpreneurs” Announced

A media release from the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) announces the 2026 class of Nashville Teacherpreneurs and explains more about the program:

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) announced the latest cohort of the Teacherpreneur program, marking its fifth year and continuing its partnership with founding supporter Amazon. Since 2021, the Teacherpreneur program has supported over 40 educators to develop their innovative solutions for removing barriers to student success, with winners receiving cash prizes and access to seed funding for implementation.

Some of the issues being considered by cohort members include creating employment certification pathways for multilingual students, increasing resources for family engagement programs, building support for first year teachers, and facilitating stronger connections to magnet school opportunities. The cohort experience will culminate in a pitch event in March 2026, where educators will present their ideas to a panel of community judges for a chance to win a share of $25,000, as well as funding to support the implementation of their ideas. The fifth Teacherpreneur cohort includes:

  • Courtney Antonello, H.G. Hill Middle School
  • Ashley Bolan, Hunters Lane High School
  • Mary Jo Cramb, Academy at Old Cockrill
  • Nakia Edwards, Oliver Middle School
  • Katie Fitzpatrick, Hume Fogg Magnet High School
  • Molly Goss, Cane Ridge High School
  • Heather Hall, East Nashville Magnet High School
  • Leigh Ann Harbort, Harris Hillman School
  • Madison Reeb, Valor College Prep
  • Likisha Rhodes, Cane Ridge High School
  • Louisa Saylor, Goodlettsville Elementary School
  • Debbie West, Waverly-Belmont Elementary School
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TNGOP Accidentally Advances Progress, Quickly Retreats

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Snowflake School Board Members Meltdown Over Diversity

Some members of the Hamilton County School Board aren’t happy about the district’s efforts to recruit teacher applicants from diverse backgrounds.

Board members Larry Grohn and Felice Hadden, both Republicans, practically melted down at a recent meeting.

What burned them up? The district’s policy that, according to the Chattanooga Times-Free Press:

Under the updated policy, educator diversity refers to a teacher workforce that “reflects a broad range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, language, socioeconomic backgrounds and pathways into the profession.”

Grohn said the policy was “racist” and Hadden suggested the diversity was fine as long as the district didn’t spend too much effort or money on recruiting diverse candidates.

The whole issue was spurred as Hamilton County updated its diversity policy (to the policy noted above) in response to a state law requiring the dismantling of DEI efforts.

That dismantling included undoing a previous state law – also passed by Republicans – that required school districts to adopt a diversity policy.

Chattanooga Sign
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Wild West Voucher Scheme Wrecks Florida Budget

Bill Lee Sued Over School Voucher Plan

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A $10 Million Ride

Memphis school leaders are exploring a range of options to help boost student attendance.

One option: Expanding bus service.

Chalkbeat reports that approach carries a heavy price tag:

Memphis school leaders say expanding student bus services to help boost attendance will raise transportation costs by a minimum of almost $10 million next school year.

Board members advanced the idea in late October to increase busing after multiple teachers testified that students weren’t showing up for class in fear of increased law and immigration enforcement. Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond was tasked with delivering a plan within 30 days.

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Arizona Attorney General Investigates Voucher Scheme

How Fast Can Privatizers Move Kids Out of Public Schools?

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Elementary Principal Honored

Collierville is home to Tennessee’s Principal of the Year, WREG-TV reports:

A Collierville elementary school principal has been named as Tennessee’s Principal of the Year for the 2025-26 school year.

Deanna Jones has served as principal of Bailey Station Elementary School in Collierville since 2020.

“Deanna Jones exemplifies the kind of principal who lifts every classroom—pairing strong academics with joyful learning and building collaboration that benefits students and teachers alike,” said Director of Schools Dr. Russell Dyer. “We are proud that the state recognized her work with the Tennessee Principal of the Year award; it is a well‑earned honor that reflects the excellence at Bailey Station Elementary and across Collierville Schools.”

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GOP Goal: Public Money, Private Schools

Extreme History

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An Itchy Situation

One Tennessee school is fighting bed bugs.

NewsChannel9 in Chattanooga reports:

Bradley County Schools officials say they are taking the necessary steps to keep their classrooms clean.

That’s after bed bugs were reportedly found in a classroom at Bradley Central High School earlier this week.

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A Double-Dipping Disaster

Voucher Lawsuit Takes on Lee’s Scheme

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Stipends for Student Teachers?

Finally, a good idea from Cameron Sexton. Chalkbeat reports the House Speaker is proposing providing stipends to student teachers.

Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton wants the state to start paying student teachers for their required internships, a proposal state education advocates say they support amid ongoing concerns about teacher shortages.

Sexton told Chalkbeat Tennessee this week he wants to provide additional state funding to allow local districts to pay teacher trainees directly.

Sexton said the amount could mean a $1,500 or $2,000 monthly stipend, though the proposal appears to be in the early days of development with few concrete details.

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Wisconsin Stands Up to Trump on Voucher Scheme

Florida’s Voucher Mess

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TN Attorney General Backs Christian Charter Schools

Sam Stockard over at Tennessee Lookout takes a look at the crumbling wall of separation between church and state as it relates to education in Tennessee:

The latest disassembly involves an opinion by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti saying the state’s prohibition on religious-based charter schools “likely” violates the free exercise of religion in the First Amendment.

Skrmetti wrote the opinion at the request of Republican state Rep. Michelle Carringer of Knoxville who has a bill relating to charter schools. Carringer said Thursday she requested the opinion for “legal clarity” on the relationship between the Constitution and Tennessee charter laws but has no plans to bring legislation related to it.

The opinion is of interest as a Christian charter operator in Knox County is suing for the right to operate an explicitly Christian “public” charter school using state and local funds.

Onward, Christian Charters
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Florida School Choice Scheme Riddled with Problems

Taking 450,000 Kids Out of TN Public Schools

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Knox County Sends a Message

The Knox County School Board is asking the General Assembly to reject legislation that would require schools to check for immigration documentation before allowing a student to attend.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports:

The Knox County school board will ask Tennessee legislators to stop a bill that could block public education for undocumented immigrants.

The legislature in 2026 could once again take up a bill designed to challenge established rules allowing those without legal status to have the same education access as those who were born here. Board members used their annual legislative priorities list to say they want to educate all students regardless of their immigration status.

The board voted 6-3 to include the priority with two Republicans joining the Democratic minority Dec. 4. Members Betsy Henderson, Lauren Morgan and Steve Triplett voted against it.

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Dismantling the Department of Education

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That’s a Big Loss

Florida’s Department of Education is unable to track as many as 30,000 students at any given time due to the “Wild West” nature of the state’s multiple “school choice” schemes:

Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Crestview, said that at any given moment the state does not know where 30,000 students are in terms of school categories — traditional public or voucher-supported private or home schools — together worth $270 million in education support.

Sometimes, the students are “double-dipping” – enrolled in a private school where voucher dollars have been sent, but actually attending a local public school – the cost, then, is borne exclusively by the local school district.

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Lee Sued Over Private School Coupon Scheme

Plotting the End of Public Schools

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Knox County Immigration Vote

Should schools act as immigration enforcement agents?

The Knox County School Board will soon take a vote on whether or not to actively oppose state legislation on the issue.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel has more:

Knox County school board members will decide Dec. 4 whether to support a Tennessee bill requiring schools to verify students’ immigration status before allowing them into the classroom.

The General Assembly could take up a bill in 2026 designed specifically to challenge a 1982 Supreme Court decision that guarantees access to public schools for all children regardless of their immigration status. Two school board members – Katherine Bike and Anne Templeton – are urging their colleagues to tell lawmakers the Knox County school board opposes the bill.

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