September 21, 2020
The following updates are from Governor Bill Lee’s press conference last Thursday:
The Tennessee House Education Committee is slated to receive an update this Tuesday and Wednesday to hear how schools are faring in the midst of the pandemic. Chairman Mark White invited superintendents from across the state to address schools re-opening this fall as well as the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE). Discussions will center around issues with online learning such as access to broadband, TDOE’s role, and what’s involved in the process of adjusting school during the pandemic. Get more details on these hearings here.
Despite the ups and downs of this nontraditional summer, we want to extend our thanks to those of you who participated in our summer reading scholarship program, Tristar Reads — especially our Team Leaders! This past week we visited Team Leaders in Dickson, Tennessee, and we wanted to acknowledge and celebrate those leaders today.
September 22 is National Voter Registration Day! At Tennesseans for Student Success, we stand at the intersection of education policy and political engagement. That’s why annually, we provide voters with a clear way to understand how their elected officials vote to support Tennessee kids in our SuccessCard.
Tennessee has made historic gains by establishing rigorous academic standards, an assessment aligned to those standards, accountability for everyone involved in student success, public choices in education, innovation, and keeping economic opportunity for all students in mind. Now more than ever, we must do more to support and advance these foundational priorities for Tennessee’s students and continue to fight for student success.
At TSS, we believe education is the most important issue at the ballot box. Make sure you register to vote today!
Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture announced an investment of nearly $10 million to provide broadband internet service in Benton, Giles, and Lincoln counties. The investment will connect an estimated 1,658 rural households to high-speed broadband, providing internet access to more than 4,000 Tennesseans. These funds are in addition to Gov. Bill Lee’s $61 million investment of CARES Act funding in broadband expansion, announced last month. Read more about this incredible investment here.