The Tennessee Firefly

29/07/2025

Nashville PROPEL calls for Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle to step down.

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28/07/2025

Updated: The Tennessee Charter School Center & TennesseeCAN cite leadership and agility for public charter school students outperforming their peers following the pandemic.

The research of Tennessee’s more than 100 public charter schools found these students consistently outperformed traditional school peers in math and English language arts following the pandemic.

28/07/2025

Novus SMART Academy's approval brings a fourth public charter school to Rutherford County. Leaders plan to utilize a Two-Educator Model for kindergarten through eighth-grade students.

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25/07/2025

🖍️ Tennessee’s Tax-Free Weekend is back this weekend.

Some school systems now provide all student supplies, while others still expect families to purchase them.

🛒 Before you hit the stores, find out what your district is doing and what the state’s tax-free holiday includes:

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As Tennessee’s Tax-Free Weekend approaches (July 26–28), families face differing school supply costs depending on district policies. Some schools provide supplies, while others require parents to purchase their own.

24/07/2025

Have you listened to our podcast On the Fly? We launched a new episode today to profile educator Jeremy Sager's proposed school Novus SMART. The Rutherford County Schools Board of Education is deciding whether to approve it tonight.

Educator Jeremy Sager has helped students in Memphis and Nashville achieve success. He believes the ‘Two-Educator Model’ of his proposed public charter school Novus SMART Academy (K-8) could do even more in Rutherford County if the Board of Educat...

24/07/2025

Rocketship Public Schools is proposing an expansion of its personalized learning model into Rutherford County. The Rutherford County Schools Board of Education will decide tonight whether to approve the new public charter school.

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24/07/2025

As lawmakers convene hearings on potentially reducing testing and teacher evaluations, a new poll from Tennesseans for Student Success shows Republican voters overwhelmingly support preserving both.

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24/07/2025

📢 The Tennessee Higher Education Commission has announced TN Direct Admissions, a new statewide pilot program that automatically accepts eligible high school seniors into participating in-state colleges and technical schools—no application required.

Tennessee is the first state in the nation to combine direct admissions with personalized financial aid offers, aiming to simplify the enrollment process and improve college access for thousands of students.

Learn more about the pilot and how it works:

Tennessee's new TN Direct Admissions pilot simplifies college enrollment by automatically accepting eligible high school seniors into in-state colleges and technical schools—no application required—and pairing offers with personalized financial aid details.

23/07/2025

The Hamilton County School Board has voted 10-0 to deny the amended application for the proposed Tennessee Wildflower Public School, a Montessori-based charter aiming to serve East Chattanooga neighborhoods.

While the revised plan showed some improvements, district officials say it still failed to meet key standards.

The school now has the option to appeal at the state level.
📖 Read more about the board's decision and what comes next:

The Hamilton County School Board voted 10-0 to reject the amended application for Tennessee Wildflower Public School, citing unmet standards. The Montessori-based charter now considers a state-level appeal.

22/07/2025

Jeremy Sager has helped students in Memphis and Nashville achieve success. His ‘Two-Educator Model’ Novus SMART Academy could do even more in Rutherford County.

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22/07/2025

📣 Big news for Tennessee education! The state has been selected as one of 12 participants in the Lumina Foundation’s FutureReady States initiative.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission will focus on defining stackable credentials and creating clearer, more flexible pathways for adult learners and working professionals.

From CPR certifications to online Excel courses, this effort will help Tennesseans turn every learning experience into a stepping stone toward a degree or a high-quality job. 💼🎓

📍 Learn how this will impact students, rural communities, and the future of Tennessee’s workforce:

Tennessee is one of 12 states selected to improve stackable credentials and expand access to education for adult learners through Lumina’s FutureReady States.

18/07/2025

Seven Republican lawmakers and one Democrat have been named to a new committee that’s studying testing and teacher evaluation reductions.

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