May 7, 2019
| Legislative Session Finished, Teacher Appreciation Week, & More! Legislative session has officially come to a close for the year and we are excited to share our big wins to help provide more students with paths to success. Also, this week is Teacher Appreciation Week! Read below to see how we are thanking our teachers. Don’t forget to sign up for Tristar Reads emails and get to reading! |
| 2019 Legislative Session Has Adjourned Over the past five months, we have monitored and advocated for student-centered policies during the 2019 legislative session. At Tennesseans for Student Success, we are excited to share three big wins from this past legislative session that align with our priority areas to provide more students with access to a high quality education. Championing Higher Standards and Protecting Accountability: We are happy to report that there were no significant attempts to rollback large portions of the state’s academic standards, aligned assessment, or its accountability system. In fact, with enormous credit to Commissioner Penny Schwinn, for the first time in three years, no major issues were reported during the testing period of our yearly assessment, TNReady. Innovating in Education: The legislature approved a key piece of Governor Lee’s 2019 legislative agenda to support public charter schools by establishing a statewide public charter schools authorizer commission and making it easier to close underperforming schools. Also, Governor Lee’s budget was approved, which includes a $12 million increase for public charter school facilities. Securing Economic Freedom for All: Governor Lee’s GIVE Act was also approved, which will increase dual enrollment opportunities and create regional partnerships for students to gain more on-the-job experience. This legislation is a great step towards ensuring our students have more pathways to success upon graduation. Thank you to Governor Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly for working to improve access to excellent public education options and ensure all our students have a path to success! Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! We are thankful Tennessee is home to dedicated teachers who make it their mission to provide a path to success for their students.Throughout the month of May and especially this week, we are celebrating our amazing educators in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week and Month!To help us celebrate, post a photo with your favorite teacher, use #ThanksTNTeachers, tag us on Facebook or Twitter, and tell us why they you appreciate them! Three teachers will be selected from a random drawing to win a $100 gift card for school supplies! Use Your Reading Superpower with Tristar Reads! Calling All Superheroes— Now is the time to show off your superpowers with Tristar Reads! Learning doesn’t stop in the summer– especially for superheroes.All Tennessee students ages 5-18 are eligible to participate. All you have to do is read a book at least 20 minutes a day and log your hours. At the end of the summer, three participating students– one elementary school student, one middle school student, and one high school student– will each receive a $1000 college scholarship! Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly Tristar Reads emails with important reminders and other chances to win prizes. Be sure to share pictures or videos with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages of your child using his or her reading superpowers! Sign Up for More Info! Get Involved! Nominate a Teacher for Tennesseans for Student Success Advocate of the Month! Each month, we are celebrating a passionate educator making a difference from each of the grand divisions (East, Middle, and West Tennessee) each month. Nominate an educator going above and beyond for his or her students! Use Your Voice Want to learn more about Tennesseans for Student Success and our legislative agenda? Visit our advocacy center here. |