Press Releases

Governor Lee Promotes Education Policy During State of the State Address: “Students Should Be Prepared for Life Beyond the Classroom”

February 9, 2021

Governor Lee Proposes Increased Teacher Pay, Rural Broadband Investment, and Focusing on Student Preparation for Life and Work in Address 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) today released the following statement after Governor Bill Lee (R-Tenn.) delivered the State of the State Address:

“On the heels of historic accomplishments that addressed Tennessee’s literacy crisis and took steps to ensure that every child in every district of the state has access to a quality public school, Governor Lee set a vision for what it means to prepare our students for life beyond the classroom,” said TSS President & CEO Adam Lister. “Calls for investments in rural broadband and student-focused reforms that lead to student success for every child should be embraced and acted upon swiftly by the General Assembly. Additionally, by proposing an extra $120 million in teacher pay, Lee is working to provide stability for our teachers, promote Tennessee’s ability to attract and retain the best educators, and work to give all students the committed, effective teacher they deserve.”  

Read the full address here.

RELATED: Governor Lee Signs Bold Action on Tennessee’s Literacy Crisis into Law

Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: March 2

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Mar

2

Securing Economic Opportunity Tennesseans for Student Success has begun the 2021 legislative session by introducing our policy priorities and how they improve outcomes and equity for students Read... more
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TSS Blog

ICYMI—The Tennessean: As Tennessee Lawmakers Me...

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Jan

19

NASHVILLE – Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) recently launched Tennessee Literacy Now, an initiative to advocate for the passage of long-overdue strategies to improve the state’s... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: January 18

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Jan

18

Tennessee Literacy Now This week, the Tennessee General Assembly is convening for a special legislative session on education At TSS, we’re advocating for the passage of long-overdue strategies... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: January 11

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Jan

11

Tennessee Literacy Now TSS today announced a new campaign to promote childhood literacy improvements and work with the Tennessee General Assembly to advocate for the passage of long-overdue... more
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Press Releases

Tennesseans for Student Success Announces Tenne...

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Jan

11

TSS will advocate for the passage of long-overdue strategies to improve the state’s literacy rate and will donate books to local schools NASHVILLE –Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) today... more
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Press Releases

TSS Statement on Governor Lee’s Calling for Spe...

Tue

Dec

29

NASHVILLE – Tennesseans for Student Success today released the following statement after Governor Bill Lee (R-Tenn) announced his intention to convene the Tennessee General Assembly for a special... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: December 28

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Dec

28

TSS Wishes You a Happy New Year! 2020 has been an unforgettable year – in some of the most unexpected, tragic, and surprising ways It’s easy to eagerly begin to turn a new leaf and charge... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: December 14

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Dec

14

SCORE’s State of Education in TN Report Last week, our friends at the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), released their 11th annual report that reflects on the state of... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: November 30

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30

A Thanksgiving Message From TSS President & CEO Adam Lister 2020 has undoubtedly been a year nobody anticipated From tornadoes ripping across the state to a pandemic that has impacted almost... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: November 16

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16

Celebrating Our Tristar Reads Winners & Team Leaders! TSS announced the winners of Tristar Reads, our annual reading scholarship competition for Tennessee students grades K-12 last week Tristar... more
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Press Releases

Tennesseans for Student Success Celebrates Tris...

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Nov

9

Donates to Local School Libraries and Student Scholarships NASHVILLE – Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) today is announcing the winners of Tristar Reads, an annual reading scholarship... more
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TSS Blog

#WeAreUnionSTEAM

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Nov

6

Union Elementary STEAM and Demonstration School began its STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) focus in 2008 Since 2008, the faculty, staff, and students have worked hard to... more
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Press Releases

Tennesseans for Student Success Applauds an Exp...

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Nov

3

NASHVILLE – Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) today released the following statement after a successful election night for Tennessee General Assembly candidates who support student growth... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: November 2

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Nov

2

Tennessee COVID-19 Update Please see the following update from Governor Lee’s press conference last Wednesday: Governor Lee signed Executive Order 65 which extends Tennessee’s State of... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: October 19

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Oct

19

Recognizing Tristar Reads Middle School Winner We’re proud to announce the middle school division winner of our 2020 Tristar Reads summer reading competition Congratulations to Sarah Collier!... more
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Press Releases

Tennesseans for Student Success Responds to Gov...

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Oct

19

NASHVILLE – Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) today released the following statement after Governor Bill Lee (R-Tenn) and Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn announced the state would conduct... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: October 5

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Oct

5

A Letter From TSS President & CEO As October is a significant month for Tennessee, I wanted to make you aware of a few things TSS will be recognizing Most importantly, today is the deadline for... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: September 21

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Sep

21

Tennessee COVID-19 Update The following updates are from Governor Bill Lee’s press conference last Thursday: The Department of Education announced that 90% of districts have submitted data... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: September 8

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Sep

8

TSS New Staff Alert Over the past few months, we’ve had a few additions to the TSS staff to introduce to you Meet Jack Minor, Senior Director of Strategy and Advocacy and Alice Ball, Executive... more
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TSS Blog

Inside Equity with Knoxville Area Urban League

Tue

Sep

8

What is your organization’s mission, and how does it support Tennessee’s students The Knoxville Area Urban League (KAUL), a civil rights, economic development and social service organization,... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Reading is Magic

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Sep

4

Thank you for reading with us this summer!  Despite the ups and downs of this nontraditional summer, we want to extend our thanks to you for hanging on and prioritizing literacy in your... more
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TSS Blog

Social and Emotional Learning with BeWell + Warner

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Sep

3

Nashville students have experienced quite the year with tornadoes, early school closures, and a global pandemic impacting the way school has continued this fall Throughout the obstacles, schools have... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Higher Education is Magic

Fri

Aug

28

Read Along with the Rep Esther Helton  We’re grateful for Rep Helton as she reads “Giraffes Can’t Dance” aloud to us this week This is our last featured reader... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: August 24

Mon

Aug

24

How the Primary was a Pivotal Moment for TN Kids Tennessee’s primary results made an enormous statement about the strength of education reform The deep and wide-spread support of reform... more
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TSS Blog

Inside Equity with HC*Excell

Mon

Aug

24

What is your organization’s mission, and how does it support Tennessee’s students At HCExcell, Hamblen County Foundation for Education Excellence and Achievement, our mission is to promote... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: School is Magic

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Aug

21

Join Rep Chris Hurt as He Reads “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” This week, we joined with Rep Hurt as he reads “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle He also shares about... more
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TSS Blog

How the primary was a pivotal moment for Tennes...

Fri

Aug

14

Every election day brings the possibility of changing course in the Tennessee General Assembly This year was no different – especially as our world faces unprecedented disruptions caused by the... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Nature is Magic

Fri

Aug

14

This week, we tagged along with Rep Love as he reads “Patience, Please” from the Berenstain Bears series by Mike Berenstain He also shares about the benefits of Tristar Reads, so join him... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: August 10

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Aug

10

A Note From TSS President & CEO Adam Lister For many, August is a time to get back in the swing of things, set goals, and begin the school year This year looks significantly different as... more
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TSS Blog

Inside Equity with FUTURO, Inc.

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Aug

10

What is your organization’s mission, and how does it support Tennessee’s students Our mission as an inclusive college-success professional-development organization is to help prepare and... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Laughter is Magic

Fri

Aug

7

Read-Along Rep Tom Leatherwood as He Reads Aloud Let’s join Rep Leatherwood and his dog Toby as they read the book, “No Roses for Harry” aloud to us this week We have so much fun... more
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Press Releases

Tennesseans for Student Success Celebrates an E...

Fri

Aug

7

NASHVILLE – Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) released the following statement after a successful election night for Tennessee General Assembly candidates who openly support higher... more
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TSS Blog

Voting, Elections, and Questions You Might Be S...

Mon

Aug

3

Tennesseans for Student Success wants to break down some of the most commonly asked questions that, we hope, will help you make informed decisions at the ballot box this year and for years to come... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Dreaming is Magic

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Jul

31

Read-Along Sen Bill Powers as He Reads “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”  Studies show that reading aloud to your children has clear cognitive effects and can lead to eventual success... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: July 27

Mon

Jul

27

Tennessee COVID-19 Update The following updates are from Governor Bill Lee’s press conference last Wednesday: The announcement of a $150 million grant fund targeted at assisting nonprofit... more
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TSS Blog

Voting, Elections, and Questions You Might Be S...

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Jul

27

The election process can often be intimidating Who do you vote for How do you know when and where to vote While these questions are straightforward for some, the election process and candidate... more
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TSS Blog

Inside Equity with Pionero Scholars at Lipscomb...

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Jul

27

Laura Delgado, Program Director of Pionero Scholars for Lipscomb University’s College of Education What is your organization’s mission, and how does it support Tennessee’s kids The... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Feedback is Magic

Fri

Jul

24

Read-Along Rep Kirk Haston as He Reads “Green Eggs and Ham”  This week, we joined Rep Kirk Haston in the mountains as he reads the classic book, “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr... more
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Press Releases

Tennesseans for Student Success Announce Releas...

Mon

Jul

20

NASHVILLE – Today, Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) is launching its fourth annual TNSuccessCard, a helpful tool to gauge how members of the Tennessee General Assembly voted and evaluated... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Cooking is Magic

Fri

Jul

17

Watch Rep Vincent Dixie Read Aloud to Us This week, we’re excited to be joined by Rep Vincent Dixie as he reads “The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver” by Gene Barretta This... more
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Advocacy & Policy

TSS Policy Review: Securing Economic Freedom

Tue

Jul

14

Tennesseans for Student Success TNSuccessCard Policy Priorities Preceding the release of our TNSuccessCard this summer, we are highlighting our policy pillars and the corresponding bills that are... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: July 13

Mon

Jul

13

TSS POLL: Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Improving Education Remains a Top Issue for TN Voters Consistent with earlier TSS polling, Tennessee voters believe improving education should be a top priority for... more
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TSS Blog

Inside Equity: Tennessee Educators of Color All...

Mon

Jul

13

Dr Diarese George, Executive Director & Founder of TECA What is your organization’s mission, and how does it support Tennessee’s kids The Tennessee Educators of Color... more
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Advocacy & Policy

TSS Policy Review: Innovation in Education

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Jul

10

Tennesseans for Student Success TNSuccessCard Policy Priorities Preceding the release of our TNSuccessCard this summer, we are highlighting our policy pillars and the corresponding bills that are... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Exercise is Magic

Fri

Jul

10

Read “The Rainbow Fish” Along with Rep Debra Moody This week we’re joined by Rep Moody as she reads “The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister In this story, we learn that... more
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Press Releases

TSS Poll: Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Improving Edu...

Fri

Jul

10

NASHVILLE – Today, Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) released statewide polling of 3,000 registered Tennessee voters conducted during June Consistent with earlier TSS polling, Tennessee voters... more
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Advocacy & Policy

TSS Policy Review: Protecting Accountability

Tue

Jul

7

Tennesseans for Student Success TNSuccessCard Policy Priorities Preceding the release of our TNSuccessCard this summer, we are highlighting our policy pillars and the corresponding bills that are... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Happy Fourth of July!

Fri

Jul

3

Happy Fourth of July Weekend! As we celebrate Independence Day this weekend, please be safe with your loved ones and celebrate the freedom, patriotism, and liberty we have by living in this... more
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Advocacy & Policy

TSS Policy Review: Higher Standards & Alig...

Tue

Jun

30

Tennesseans for Student Success TNSuccessCard Policy Priorities Tennesseans for Student Success is a non-profit, statewide organization committed to improving student achievement in Tennessee In... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: June 29

Mon

Jun

29

111th General Assembly Legislative Wrap-Up The Tennessee General Assembly officially adjourned sine die at 3 am on June 19th, which means, barring a special session being called, they will not... more
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TSS Blog

Inside Equity: The Enterprise Center

Mon

Jun

29

What is your organization’s mission, and how does it support Tennessee’s kids The Enterprise Center, a non-profit economic development partner to the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Exploring is Magic

Fri

Jun

26

Join Rep John Ragan He Reads “Coat of Many Colors” We’re thrilled to be joined by Rep Ragan this week as he reads “Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton This... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Art is Magic

Fri

Jun

19

Read Along with Rep Rusty Grills as He Reads “Llama Llama Red Pajama” With Father’s Day this weekend, Rep Grills joined us this week to read with his daughter,... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: June 15

Mon

Jun

15

TN Legislative Wrap-Up The 111th General Assembly plans to conclude their business this week by passing a revised state budget and voting on remaining critical legislation Many of the proposed policy... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Social Studies is Magic

Fri

Jun

12

Watch Senator Dawn White Read “Grace Goes to Washington” Aloud This week, Tristar Reads would like to highlight the importance of showing diversity through BIPOC (black, indigenous,... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: June 8

Mon

Jun

8

TN Legislative Corner The 111th General Assembly continues their June session this week with a full week of Committee meetings in each Chamber after recessing from the COVID-19 pandemic in... more
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Press Releases

Tennesseans for Student Success Announces Trist...

Fri

Jun

5

NASHVILLE – Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) recently kicked off their fifth annual statewide summer reading scholarship program, Tristar Reads Through May, and during a time of... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Music is Magic

Fri

Jun

5

Watch Senator Ferrell Haile Read “Donkey-Donkey” Aloud We’re thrilled to be joined by Senator Haile and his grandson this week as he reads “Donkey-Donkey” by Roger... more
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TSS Blog

To hear you is to honor you

Thu

Jun

4

Good afternoon, Just one week ago, the nation was left speechless and heartbroken by the tragic and senseless death of Mr George Floyd, captured in nine agonizing minutes by cell phone video Mr... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: June 1

Mon

Jun

1

TN Legislative Corner The 111th General Assembly returns to session this week and will focus some of their energy on legislation pending before the sudden recess in March They have set an... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: STEAM is Magic

Fri

May

29

Read Along with Chairman Mark White “The Little Engine That Could” We’re excited to catch up with Chairman White this week as he reads “The Little Engine That Could” by... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Dancing is Magic

Thu

May

21

Read Along with Rep Esther Helton “Giraffes Can’t Dance” This week we joined Rep Helton as she reads “Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae aloud to us Thank... more
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TSS Blog

Emerging from this crisis with a bright future ...

Thu

May

21

On behalf of Tennesseans for Student Success, we hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy during these uncertain times The impact of COVID-19 has been far-reaching From Memphis to... more
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TSS Blog

TSS’ New Website: How is our improved website m...

Tue

May

19

Tennesseans for Student Success is excited to announce the recent launch of our new and improved website at wwwtnsucessorg The goal with the new site is to provide a user-friendly experience for... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: May 18

Mon

May

18

Tennessee COVID-19 Update Recently, Governor Bill Lee’s Stimulus Financial Accountability Group held its second meeting to help Tennessee business owners get back on solid ground More... more
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TSS Blog

A Well Rounded Education at the Chattanooga Cha...

Fri

May

15

Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence (CCSE) is located in the heart of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was established in 2011 CCSE provides high quality, rigorous teaching, and learning several... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Science is Magic

Fri

May

15

Read Along with Sen Bill Powers “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” This week we caught up with Sen Powers as he reads “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” by Laura Numeroff aloud to us... more
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TSS Blog

Public Curriculum Meets Outdoor Education at Iv...

Thu

May

14

This week we are learning about several different charter schools around the Volunteer State during National Charter School Week Today, we hear from Ivy Academy Environmental Charter School in... more
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TSS Blog

Mindful Moments with Perea Elementary School

Wed

May

13

Perea Elementary School, located in North Memphis, is a public charter school that opened in the fall of 2018 Led by Deadre Ussery, Perea takes a holistic approach to education to prepare students... more
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TSS Blog

Innovating in Education with National Charter S...

Mon

May

11

This week is National Charter School Week, and we are pleased to recognize and celebrate all the charter schools that make Tennessee such an innovative place to learn What is a charter school A... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Learning is Magic

Fri

May

8

Watch Rep Leatherwood Read “No Roses for Harry!” Join us this week as we watch Rep Tom Leatherwood (and his dog, Toby!) read “No Roses for Harry!” aloud At Tristar Reads, we... more
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TSS Blog

#SendTeachersLove During Teacher Appreciation Week

Fri

May

8

Teachers are incredibly instrumental in the lives of our students in and outside of the classroom As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, TSS would like to take a moment to recognize those... more
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TSS Blog

Tristar Read’s 2019 Middle School Winner’s Expe...

Wed

May

6

According to the Tennessee Department of Education, 349 percent of Tennessee students are at or above their grade level in English language arts With academic achievement gaps and the impact of the... more
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Press Releases

Tennesseans for Student Success Announces New W...

Tue

May

5

NASHVILLE – Today, Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) announces the launch of their newly designed website at wwwtnsuccessorg The new site features a more streamlined and engaging... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: May 4

Mon

May

4

Tennessee COVID-19 Update Recently, Governor Bill Lee released first-steps for the opening of Tennessee’s economy called the “Tennessee Pledge” The governor’s aim through the... more
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TSS Blog

Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week with Ms. ...

Mon

May

4

May 4-8, 2020 is Teacher Appreciation Week, and it’s important now more than ever that we recognize and celebrate the significant role educators play in student’s lives With the... more
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Tristar Reads

TRISTAR READS: Reading is Magic

Fri

May

1

Welcome to the kick-off week of Tristar Reads 2020! We are pleased you’ve joined us as we journey through the magic of reading this summer Tristar Reads is an annual summer reading program by... more
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TSS Blog

Tristar Reads: How the Program Impacted Last Ye...

Tue

Apr

28

Tristar Reads is our annual summer reading contest designed to encourage students across the Volunteer State to keep up their reading skills during the summer while also cultivating a joy for reading... more
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Tristar Reads

Tristar Reads Spring Edition: April 24

Fri

Apr

24

Tristar Reads, our annual summer reading program, doesn’t begin until May, but as most students are at home in this season, we want to offer various resources and activities for parents and... more
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Inside TNSuccess

Inside TNSuccess: April 20

Mon

Apr

20

Tennessee COVID-19 Update As our schools, economy, and life in general moves at a rapidly different pace than one month ago, TSS is keeping our finger on the pulse of education-related COVID-19... more
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TSS Blog

UT Promise: Make a Difference in a Student̵...

Fri

Apr

17

The University of Tennessee recently announced a new, student-success-oriented scholarship program that offers free tuition and mandatory fees for qualifying Tennessee undergraduate students who have... more
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Press Releases

TSS Statement on State’s Call for Review ...

Fri

Oct

8

NASHVILLE, Tenn – Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) today released the following statement in response to Governor Bill Lee’s call for review of the state’s education funding... more
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Press Releases

TSS Releases 2021 SuccessCard, Grading Legislat...

Thu

Oct

7

NASHVILLE, Tenn – Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) today announced the release of its fifth annual SuccessCard, a helpful tool that evaluates members of the General Assembly based on how... more
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TSS Blog

Summer Study Recap and Next Steps

Wed

Sep

29

Last week the House Education Administration and Education Instruction Committees convened for a summer study that evaluated the impact of summer learning camps and other proactive measures to... more
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