Policy & Advocacy

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents new opportunities to strengthen teaching and learning, but its value in education depends on the decisions leaders make today. As Tennessee schools move from AI exploration to practice, use of this technology should center on student learning and safety while drawing on the expertise of educators and education leaders. This memo offers a foundation for thoughtful decisions as Tennessee continues to learn what works in practice.

Beginning in 2027, Tennessee will participate in a new program that could create a significant new source of funding for K-12 students and families in a variety of school settings, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, and private schools. The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit will incentivize individual donations to scholarships that eligible students can use for tutoring, instructional materials, special needs services, transportation, and other educational supports.

Between 2003 and 2024, Tennessee moved from 42nd to 16th nationally on a composite measure of fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math performance. That 26-position gain was the largest of any state in the country. This memo examines that progress, which has made Tennessee the highest-ranked state in the South and the region’s only state in the national top 20.