Education Commissioner Unveils ‘Best for All’ Strategic Plan
Education Commissioner Unveils ‘Best For All’ Strategic PlanAcademics, Whole Child, and Educators are top priorities for Tennessee NASHVILLE— Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn today presented the department’s strategic plan to more than 1,000 statewide educators at the 2019 LEAD conference held in Nashville. The plan, called “Best for All,” sets priorities for the department in serving […]
Tennessee ACT Participation at All Time High
Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn announced today that a total of 63,829 students from Tennessee’s 2019 graduating class took the ACT, earning an average composite score of 20. This represents a 98 percent participation rate, which is an all-time high in the state. Of those students, 41.7 percent earned a score of 21 or higher, making […]
Department of Safety and Homeland Security To Implement Driver Services Enhancements
The Department of Safety and Homeland Security will implement the following enhancements in the highest volume centers in an effort to better serve the citizens of Tennessee: Hire additional Driver License Examiners, Road Skill Testers and Greeters, whose primary objective is to vet each person that comes to the center ensuring they have the required […]
New Child Well-Being Report Focuses on Challenges Rural Counties Face
The differing challenges faced by Tennessee’s urban and rural counties, as well as those that are shared, are explored in KIDS COUNT: The State of the Child in Tennessee, released today. This report, produced by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, the Annie E. Casey Foundation Tennessee KIDS COUNT® partner, is released in conjunction with […]
Tennessee Students Show Modest Gains on Nation’s Report Card
The Nation’s 2019 Report Card was released this morning. According to the results, Tennessee students made noteworthy gains in 4th grade math, but saw virtually no statistical gains in the other subject areas that were tested, compared to 2017. Every two years, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is administered to students ingrades 4 […]
Tennessee Takes Another Step to Support Quality and Increase Access to Child Care
The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) is announcing new investments in child care that improve options for parents, incentivize employment in early childhood education, and ensure a continued bright future for individuals to open a licensed child care agency. Beginning this month educators at TDHS licensed child care agencies will be eligible to apply […]
Unemployment Drops in Nearly Every Tennessee County
Unemployment rates in nearly every Tennessee county, including distressed counties, declined during September, according to data released Thursday by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). Ninety counties experienced lower unemployment in September, while the rate remained the same in one county, and increased in four counties. The latest statistics show unemployment rates […]
Tennessee Higher Education Increases Enrollment for the Fourth Consecutive Year
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) today released the latest student enrollment data for the fall 2019 semester, indicating an increase of 1,541 students, which is a 0.7% increase compared with 2018. “This is our fourth year of continued enrollment growth in Tennessee. It is encouraging to see our state’s continued momentum at a time […]
Governor Lee, Commissioner Rolfe Announce 66 Communities to Receive Community Development Block Grants
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe recently approved over $26.7 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which assist communities with infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitations and health and safety initiatives. “The CDBG funds are designed to help rural communities in Tennessee succeed, which aligns directly with our […]
TN Attorney General Sues Opioid Distributor AmerisourceBergen
Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III announced today that he sued AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation for its unlawful distribution of pharmaceutical narcotics and its role in generating and prolonging the ongoing opioid epidemic in Tennessee. The State of Tennessee has already filed enforcement actions against two drug manufacturers, but Amerisource is the first distributor to be […]
TDMHSAS Receives New Funding for Suicide Prevention Lifeline
The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is receiving more than $200,000 in new funding to improve the response for Tennesseans seeking help through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. TDMHSAS is one of 12 states to receive the two-year capacity building grant funded by Vibrant Emotional Health. In Tennessee, the funding […]
Another Record Year for the Number of Students Taking the AP Exam
Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn announced today that more than 33,800 Tennessee public school students took the Advanced Placement (AP) exams in the 2018-19 school year – breaking the previous year’s record high of 32,000 for Tennessee. Across Tennessee, 17,607 students earned a score of 3, 4, or 5, which translates into a 3.1 percent increase […]
Dr. Richard Breeden Named By Governor Lee To State Pharmacy Board
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced more than 100 appointees to a series of state boards and commissions. “I am pleased to appoint these individuals and appreciate their willingness to serve our state,” said Lee. “The success of our state depends on engaged citizens and we look forward to working together.” Advisory Council on Workers’ Compensation […]
Tennessee’s ‘High Quality’ Bonds Generate $40 Million Premium
Tennessee’s colleges and universities will benefit from a competitive low interest rate due in part to a $40 million premium generated by the Tennessee State School Bond Authority’s (TSSBA) successful sale of $207 million of higher education facilities bonds. The bond proceeds will be used to support capital projects at 6 of the state’s colleges […]
TN Attorney General Challenges Unlawful, Unprecedented Order
The State of Tennessee, through the Attorney General’s Office, is appealing a final order from the Davidson County Criminal Court that circumvented established legal procedures. The order exchanged the death sentence of Tennessee inmate Abu-Ali Abdur’Rahman for life in prison, thus essentially granting clemency through a court and a district attorney that both lack the […]
Employment Rises In Tennessee’s Six Largest Counties
Employment rose in each of Tennessee’s six largest counties from March 2018 to March 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) reported Wednesday. The USBLS qualifies large counties as those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2018. USBLS Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that employment gains ranged from 4.0 […]
