Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

Vouchers

inner circle

Tennessee
November 27, 2018

Gov.-elect Lee names Tennessee voucher advocate as his policy director

Tony Niknejad previously was director of Tennessee's chapter of the American Federation for Children.

Backstroke

Tennessee
November 7, 2018

Aide: Lee ‘misspoke’ when characterizing Tennessee schools as bottom of the nation

In his victory speech, Gov.-elect Bill Lee meant to say that Tennessee schools are in the bottom half of the nation — not at the bottom.

New agenda

Chicago
November 7, 2018

School funding, pensions, pre-K: Here are 8 education issues J.B. Pritzker will face as governor

Steinmetz High School in northwest Chicago, where Emily Jade Aguilar graduated last year, had just four school counselors. In a school of more…

Fact check

Tennessee
November 6, 2018

Gov.-elect Bill Lee says Tennessee schools rank at the bottom of the nation. They don’t.

In his first speech as the next governor of Tennessee, Republican businessman Bill Lee said incorrectly that the state’s schools are among the worst in the nation.

next steps

Tennessee
November 6, 2018

Bill Lee is Tennessee’s next governor. Here’s how he’ll begin to shape education.

Now that he's elected, Lee must transition to a new administration and work with a public school system serving a million students.

campaign trail

Tennessee
October 26, 2018

More teachers are running for state office this year. Meet two from Tennessee.

In a wave of political activism, more than 150 teachers nationwide are seeking legislative office this year. Tennessee is part of that movement.

Homestretch

Tennessee
October 11, 2018

Three big differences on Tennessee education between Dean and Lee

While the first two debates have been polite and cordial, sharp differences are emerging on hot-button education issues in the race to be governor.

Election 2018

Tennessee
October 9, 2018

Tennessee’s largest teachers group endorses Dean for governor as Lee reportedly snubs invitation

The Tennessee Education Association PAC cites Karl Dean’s record on school funding and his opposition to vouchers.

On a mission

Tennessee
October 2, 2018

Texas minister rallies Tennessee pastors against private school vouchers

The Rev. Charles Foster Johnson mobilized 2,000 pastors in Texas against vouchers, and now he's trying to do the same in Tennessee.

tax troubles

National
August 24, 2018

How Trump’s tax law may have just gotten in the way of Betsy DeVos’ favorite policy

A proposed tax rule, issued Thursday by the Treasury department, threatens to undermine school choice tax credit programs.

survey says

National
August 21, 2018

Support for boosting teacher pay is at a 10-year high, new survey finds

After a year of teacher protests, an increasing number of Americans think teachers should be paid more, according to a new national survey. Sixty-seven percent…

voucher verdict

National
August 9, 2018

Students’ math scores drop for years after using a private school voucher in country’s largest program

The findings are a blow to the argument that poor students benefit from the choice to attend a private school, a policy championed by Betsy DeVos.

Emerging differences

Tennessee
August 3, 2018

Here’s how Lee, Dean compare on education in the race to be Tennessee’s next governor

The state's next leader will set the course for school funding and shape education policy on everything from student testing to teacher evaluations.

scaling back

Tennessee
July 30, 2018

Six Memphis Catholic schools would convert to charters under revised application

After seeking to be the largest charter school operator in Memphis, a new organization hoping to convert Catholic schools to public ones is scaling back.

campaign finance

Tennessee
July 23, 2018

Nashville organization drops $26,000 to support a single school board candidate in Memphis

TennesseeCAN spent more than $26,000 on behalf of candidate Michelle Robinson McKissack for mailed advertisements, phone calls, and texts in late June.
‹