Press Releases

TSS Statement on Governor Lee’s State of the State Address

NASHVILLE – Today, Tennesseans for Student Success President and CEO Adam Lister released the following statement after Governor Bill Lee’s 2020 State of the State Address to the joint session of the Tennessee General Assembly:

“Tonight, Governor Lee laid out a bold agenda to continue to drive positive generational change and reach even greater heights of opportunity for Tennessee’s students. Tennessee’s kids have a bright future ahead thanks to the governor’s vision and focus on early literacy, improving teacher pay, training, and professional support, and ensuring students are prepared for college and career. Governor Lee reaffirmed his commitment to public education by setting a goal to make ‘Tennessee the best state in America to be a student.’”

During his speech tonight, Governor Lee committed:

  • A $117 million investment in teacher’s salaries, the most substantial single investment in the state’s history.
  • Raising the minimum salary for teachers from $36,000 to $40,000, statewide.
  • $8.5 million to launch the Governor’s Teaching Fellowship, offering 1,000 scholarships to the state’s brightest high school students to train to become a teacher.
  • An investment of $4 million for professional development and innovation advancement opportunities for educators.
  • A new fund to assist in the growth and placement of mental health support in at-risk schools.
  • A new, comprehensive approach to literacy drawing from proven methods including phonics-based instruction, coupled with a $70 million investment to establish new standards for the training of new teachers and the development of current teachers.

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2025 Teachers for Student Success Cohort Announced

Wed

Feb

12

NASHVILLE – Tennesseans for Student Success is excited to announce the fourth cohort of Teachers for Student Success, a year-long education advocacy and policy leadership development program... more
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Press Releases

National Report Card shows Tennessee’s co...

Wed

Jan

29

NASHVILLE — Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) released the following statement on our state’s performance on the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), frequently... more
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Press Releases

114th Tennessee General Assembly Convenes with ...

Tue

Jan

14

NASHVILLE — Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) is welcoming the members of the 114th General Assembly who are convening in Nashville today to begin the important work of strengthening the... more
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