The Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance has named Lequite Manning, Ed.D., as its executive director. Dr. Manning is a veteran educator with 25 years of education experience transforming educator preparation, instructional leadership, and system-level change across K-12 and higher education. She will begin the role effective Monday, May 18, 2026.
“We are elated to welcome Dr. Lequite Manning to TECA at this pivotal moment of the organization turning 10 years old, and in this critical time for education, educators, students, and our diverse Tennessee communities,” shared Matt Cheek, TECA Board President. “Dr. Manning’s dynamic experience and progressive leadership will undoubtedly anchor TECA in navigating the current and anticipated challenges ahead, while celebrating and supporting educators as they serve diverse student populations and grow in their careers.”
Before joining TECA, Dr. Manning served Relay Graduate School of Education in numerous capacities, including Dean of Relay Memphis and as the Clinical Practice Director for the state of Tennessee. There, she led the design and implementation of state-level teacher preparation programs that produced impressive, measurable results. Among her achievements, she led the campuses in reaching Tennessee’s highest racially diverse teacher candidate representation and a TVAAS Level 4+ ranking for statewide teacher effectiveness. She has co-launched innovative pipelines, including a registered apprenticeship program for aspiring teachers and an AI-powered teaching simulator to generate real-time instructional insights.
“It is an honor to be entrusted to lead TECA,” reflected Dr. Manning. “I look forward to working with and learning from the staff, membership, donors, and community partners to propel future levels of undeniable purpose and unrestricted impact.”
Previously, Dr. Manning was the Instructional Leadership Director for Memphis-Shelby County Schools, overseeing leadership development and operational support across more than 15 schools. Her success in the role was demonstrated by the 60% increase in math proficiency in a single year and by raising Instructional Culture scores system-wide. Additionally, she was selected as a Resident Principal by the competitive New Leaders program, where she designed school-level strategies for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
Dr. Manning earned a B.S. in Multidisciplinary School Learning from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and an M.Ed., Ed.S., and Ed.D. from Union University. Her specialities focus on curriculum, educational leadership, and leadership in school reform.
TECA Founder and Board Member Diarese George, Ed.D., expressed, “I am excited to welcome Dr. Lequite Manning to TECA. She is well-qualified and positioned to advance its enduring legacy as the premier educator network for support and retention of educators of color in Tennessee.” Dr. George transitioned from TECA in 2025 to become the president and CEO of the Nashville Public Education Foundation. Programs Manager Shawn Boyd, Ed.D., has served as interim executive director.
NewsChannel5reports on a Manchester teacher who won a Milken Foundation Award, which includes a trip to Washington, DC and $25,000.
However, it was something else pretty great. Among the guests were past recipients of the Milken Educator Award. It’s part of the Milken Family Foundation and recognizes outstanding teachers. Winners get a trip to Washington DC for an awards program and $25,000.
Dr. Joshua Barnett of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching had the name.
“Who is it? Are we ready to find out?” he asked the student body as they cheered. “Students, do we want to know who the best teacher is? The Milken Educator Award goes to Holly Logan!”
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.
The celebratory, community-wide Fall Festival will be held on September 21 from 12PM-4PM at the school’s campus located at 1310 Ordway Place in Nashville.
The free event will feature games, local food trucks, face painting, giveaways, a bounce house, and more.
Under the Lawrence County School System’s new attendance policy, doctor’s notes will no longer excuse an absence. Students will now just be marked absent or present.
“If you have the sniffles, that is fine,” Adkins said during the meeting. “You are going to have them when you go to work one day. We have all gone to work sick and hurt and beat up.”
The district sent a letter last week to local medical providers asking them to “emphasize the importance of regular school attendance while treating school-aged patients.” The letter went on to say that “medical notes excusing students for two or more days can unintentionally imply the students should remain home even after their health improves.”
House Republicans are not only busy cutting Medicaid, but also working on dismantling American public education while giving the very wealthy a nice tax break.
Yes, a national school voucher scam – supported by President Trump and backed by his former Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos – is taking shape as part of the current budget wrangling.
Here’s what one group that analyzed the bill said:
“. . . we estimate that this tax avoidance maneuver would deprive the federal government and state governments of more than $2 billion in capital gains tax revenue over the next decade. This would come on top of the roughly $21.5 billion cost of the tax credit itself, bringing the net total revenue loss to over $23.6 billion.“
If you wanted to undermine public education – even in states like Kentucky with no vouchers or charter schools – this would be the way to do it.
As an example, Tennessee public school districts are estimated to lose more than $50 million in state investment in year one of the state’s new, universal school voucher scheme.
Move seeks to set up Supreme Court challenge over educating migrant children
A bill in the Tennessee legislature would allow school districts and charter schools to refuse to educate children who can’t prove their legal status. The move seeks to challenge a Supreme Court decision that requires that public schools provide education to all children, regardless of legal status.
Currently, as a result of a Supreme Court decision (Plyler v. Doe), public school districts must educate all students, regardless of immigration status. The legislation aims to challenge that ruling and would allow schools to limit the provision of a free public education to only those children who could demonstrate citizenship or permanent legal status.
Cumberland Presbyterian pastor Rev. Joy Warren said of the bill:
“As a Christian pastor I believe that every child is made in the image of God and deserves the opportunity to attend a high quality public school in order to help them reach their full potential. So seeing this legislation that attacks our fundamental American rights and liberties that would take away the opportunity of immigrant children to attend public school is an attack on my values, both as an American and as a Christian. These politicians are scapegoating immigrants, including immigrant children, to divide and distract the American public.”
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was signed into law by President Richard Nixon in September of 1973. Section 504 of that act codified the civil rights of persons with disabilities. “No otherwise qualified individual” can be, simply because of their disability, “denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination” in any program or activity that receives federal funds.
That law has turned out to be hugely important in education, offering an even broader definition of students with special needs than the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Green then highlights the threat:
Then, on page 37, as it reached its third of four counts, the lawsuit switches gears, arguing not for an excision of the new language, but the elimination of Section 504 entirely. The suit argues that Section 504 is “coercive, untethered to the federal interest in disability, and unfairly retroactive” and therefor unconstitutional.
I take a look at what could happen over at The Education Report:
Here’s a summary of what could happen IF the suit is ultimately successful:
Yes. No matter what they say, they are trying to eradicate a fundamental protection for the disabled population that has sustained for over half a century. Yes. They are trying to remove disabled students from public education. They are trying to remove disabled workers from the workforce. Yes. They are trying to bring back schools that “best suit a student’s needs”, which is just a fancy way of saying that they are bringing back the segregated schools and institutions so many have fought for so long to eradicate.
