TEA President Beth Brown reacts to TNReady scores
Following the release of 2018 TNReady scores, Tennessee Education Association President Beth Brown issued the following statement.
Out-of-state special interests target our elections
In Tennessee, special-interest shadow groups have begun spending heavily in General Assembly primaries
General Assembly Holds the Keys
As TNReady faltered this spring, there was a question whether test scores should be used. The Haslam administration was adamant to keep test scores as part of teacher evaluation, student grades and school penalties.
TEA knew scores were invalid because of the major irregularities and must not be used.
The General Assembly decided enough was enough and passed a hold-harmless law in the waning hours of the session to eliminate all adverse actions using TNReady test scores.
For our students and our profession, make the choice to be politically active
By Loranzo Andrews, United EA of Shelby Co.
The purpose of political advocacy is to influence political decisions. Given the attacks on our public education system by numerous forces and the challenges faced by government regulations like teacher evaluations dependent on standardized testing and charter schools, it is imperative that educators involve themselves in the political process and political advocacy.
Early voting is the Amazon Prime of Election Day
By TEA Executive Director Carolyn Crowder
When the calendar page turns to August, there really isn’t much time for anything besides those last-minute preparations for the start of your new school year - yet here we are asking you to “Go vote!” on August 2. This is why the early voting period in Tennessee is a life-saver!
Think of early voting, which runs July 13-28 for the primary election, as the Amazon Prime of Election Day.
Education is Political: All Elections matter!
By TEA President Beth Brown
Responding to an article that I shared on social media, one of my high school classmates recently expressed his desire to play a more active role in his daughters’ education. He said, “I want what is best for my girls and everyone else’s kids as well…The problem is we can’t just care. We have to care AND act. Too many people say they care, but they want someone else to put in the effort…I hope to continue to do my part.”
SUPREME COURT RULING AGAINST WORKING FAMILIES UNLIKELY TO IMPACT TENNESSEE EDUCATORS
The U.S. Supreme Court today issued a 5-4 decision in a case that had been bankrolled by corporate interests in an effort to make it even harder for working people to come together and speak up for each other. The case, Janus v. American Federation of County, State Municipal Employees, Council 31, sought to overturn common sense jurisprudence that was established more than 40 years ago in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education.
TEA political action committee endorses Harwell, Fitzhugh
The Tennessee Education Association Fund for Children and Public Education (TEA-FCPE) has endorsed Beth Harwell in the Republican Primary for Governor, and Craig Fitzhugh in the Democratic Primary for Governor. TEA-FCPE is the political action committee of TEA, the state’s largest professional association.
What is the next step? One word: Elections!
The victory of passing hold-harmless legislation has members and parents asking what the next step is in addressing the problems of TNReady, confusing portfolios, discrepancies in state scores compared to ACT, and a variety of other critical Tennessee education issues. That step is electing people ready to work on solutions.
Final legislative day’s successful push for blanket TNReady protection
“It’s not about Republicans or Democrats, it’s about educators,” said Rep. Matthew Hill (R-Jonesboro) on the Nashville five o’clock news. Hill’s statement came during the final battle to remove remaining issues with TNReady data use, and highlighted TEA’s political efforts to build pro-public education majorities in the General Assembly.