When I started teaching in the early 2000’s, my district received 80 applications for each opening. Today, schools are asking a different question: How...
Tennessee’s public schools are changing because the state itself is changing. Families are relocating. Birth rates are declining. Housing costs are rising. Parents have...
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has launched a new institute aimed at helping businesses and students adapt to rapidly changing technology,...
Memphis-Shelby County Schools does not have an August hiring problem. It has a year-round retention problem that becomes impossible to hide when classrooms open....
By Karolyn Marino Schools with emotionally intelligent leaders have a welcoming, calm atmosphere. School climate is often felt more than seen. Strong principals bring...
Tennessee has made significant progress on teacher pay. We should acknowledge it. The state has steadily raised the minimum teacher salary, reaching $50,000 for...
By JC Bowman and TC WeberProfessional development should make teachers more skilled, confident, and independent. It should sharpen professional judgment, not replace it. Tennessee...
A new feature in TriStar Daily, Tennessee Education Notebook, aims to inform and strengthen the conversation about education across our state. We provide clear...
There are moments when common sense should override bureaucracy, anger, and institutional defensiveness. A five-year-old child with autism needing a criminal defense lawyer is one...
Manipulating a student’s grade is never harmless. It carries serious implications. The allegations surrounding grade changes and credit recovery in Metro Nashville Public Schools...
Federal education funding is not free money. It comes from taxpayers, is appropriated for specific purposes, and carries legal obligations from Washington to the...
Schools depend on authority. Boards govern. Administrators manage. Principals lead. Teachers teach. Students are expected to respect the adults responsible for their education and...
Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton has confirmed on This Week with Bob Mueller that a possible state-level audit of Metro Nashville Public Schools is under...
What is unfolding in Smith County, Tennessee, regarding its education budget crisis may soon be mirrored in other communities across the state. Other communities...
On August 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued new guidance on student discipline and compliance with Title...
Tennessee lawmakers have long proclaimed that accountability is the cornerstone of education policy. Test the students. Grade the schools A–F. When the numbers fall...
On June 25, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission voted 2–1 to launch a “top-to-bottom” review of the E-Rate program, the federal program that has...
There was a time when returning to school followed a familiar rhythm. Summer was winding down. Families were buying school supplies. Teachers were preparing...
When hiring a school superintendent, clarity is non-negotiable. This isn’t about popularity or political maneuvering; it’s about finding a leader who drives student achievement...
Every school year begins with optimism. New backpacks. New shoes. New teachers. Nervous kindergarteners. Excited parents. Yellow school buses returning to Tennessee roads. And...
The law changing teacher sick leave in Tennessee has generated more confusion than controversy. Social media posts and hallway conversations have left some educators...