Press

We know that education beyond a high school diploma is critical to the future economic success of our state, to the future economic mobility of Tennesseans, and to ensuring Tennessee students can access great jobs that provide a pathway to a meaningful career. The declining college-going rate numbers released today show that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and a changing economy have had a deeply concerning impact on students and their families, particularly for students of color.

“For more than a decade, Tennessee has been a national leader in improving academic achievement by focusing on what is best for students, and TISA will accelerate those efforts by providing extra funding for students who need more help to meet our state’s high academic expectations," said Senator Bill Frist, the founder and chairman of SCORE.

Tennessee needs a new K-12 education funding formula that will better prepare students for success in college, career, and life, and the proposal from Governor Lee and Commissioner Schwinn has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for millions of Tennessee students.

In his annual State of the State address, Governor Bill Lee offered several student-focused proposals that have the potential to drive greater success for students in Tennessee public schools.

Tennessee K-12 and higher education should prioritize accelerating learning, closing college completion gaps, expanding high-quality charter schools, and preparing students for careers in 2022, the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) says in a new report.

In order to advance student learning, Tennessee needs a modernized school finance system that reflects the education needs of today. Governor Lee’s call to review the education funding formula comes at the right time as we all help students and schools urgently recover from the disruption of the pandemic.

Thirty-two leaders from higher education, K-12 education, government, business, and nonprofit organizations have been invited by SCORE to participate in the 2021-22 cohort of the Complete Tennessee Leadership Institute.

Parents in Tennessee express concerns that students have fallen behind in their learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in a new poll of parents and voters commissioned by the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE). “We first saw concerns from parents and voters about the impact of COVID on learning in a poll last October, and those concerns have not eased now that a new school year has begun,” SCORE President and CEO David Mansouri said.