Top Issues
- Divisive Race Ideology Clarksville-Montgomery School System provided staff with training that taught ‘white’ and Christian people are privileged while a ‘person of color’ and someone who is ‘polyamorous’ are oppressed
- Restorative Justice Hamilton County Commission appropriates $70,000 to The Caleb Fund to address discipline dsparities and restorative practices in Hamilton County Schools
- Social-Emotional Learning Wilson County Schools in process of adopting $179,700 contract with Panorama Education
State Board of Education
Who’s on your state board of education?
The Tennessee State Board of Education consists of 11 members, including one student and one teacher.
When’s the next election/appointment?
The governor appoints all members of the board. The members serve five year terms.
When’s the next curriculum update?
The Tennessee State Board of Education solicited public comment for its updated social studies academic standards in March 2023. Academic standards are revised at least every six years, according to the Tennessee Department of Education. Click here for the full academic standards revision timeline.
The Tennessee
Department of Education
“As a state agency, we are dedicated to improving student academic achievement and committed to the belief that children from all backgrounds can succeed when given the opportunities they deserve. Tennessee K-12 education operates with a common goal- to provide the best for all students.”
How is your district performing? Check your district’s achievement designation here.
The Tennessee
Legislature
Use this tool to find your state representative and state senator.
Similar to Congress, the Tennessee General Assembly is divided into the House of Representatives and Senate. Your Senate Education Committee Members can be found here, and your House Education Committee Members can be found here.
These committees conduct hearings, review, and amend bills proposed by a member of their legislative chamber. They also review bills after they have been passed by the other chamber of legislature. Remember, both chambers must pass a bill before it goes to the governor’s desk for a signature or a veto.
Recent Education Laws
- Senate Bill 46 Tennessee has passed several laws promoting parental rights and education transparency. In 2023, Governor Bill Lee signed a law codifying free speech protections for teachers. Senate Bill 466 ensured that school employees will not be required to use a student’s preferred name or pronoun—opposed to the pronoun aligned with the student’s biological sex.
- Senate Bill 2153 Governor Lee also signed two laws protecting women’s sports in 2022: Senate Bill 2153 and Senate Bill 228.
- Senate Bill 228
- Senate Bill 1229 In 2021, Governor Lee signed two transparency bills. Senate Bill 1229 requires schools to notify parents prior to providing students instruction that involves gender identity.
- House Bill 1513 House Bill 1513 requires schools to post virtual copies of textbooks online, if the textbook company provides a virtual copy.
- Senate Bill 623 The General Assembly also passed bills regulation divisive concepts (Senate Bill 623) and foreign funding (House Bill 1238) in schools.
- House Bill 1238
School Boards
Ballotpedia tracks school board races in 475 school districts across the country. No Tennessee school districts tracked by Ballotpedia held school board elections in 2023, though several did in 2022. You can read more about those on this Ballotpedia page.
You can find out more about your school district’s school board, and when their next election will occur, on the school district’s website or on your county website.