Momentum continues for early care and education Tennessee saw some great wins for early education in the 2022 legislative session. The Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act (TISA) In the biggest win for Tennessee children this session, the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act (SB2396/HB2143) passed, updating the K – 12 public education funding model…
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Important update on Pre-K in TN
Friends, These past couple of months have been inspiring. Together, we’ve made it clear we won’t sit on the sidelines while thousands of Tennessee families are relegated to Pre-K waitlists that never pan out. THANK YOU for taking action in support of SB 2179/HB 2201, which would have expanded Tennessee’s Voluntary Pre-K program for the…
» Read MoreLegislative Update: March 31, 2022
Read more about several bills we support and are keeping a close eye on. These are updates as of March 31, 2022. SB2179/HB2201 – Under this legislation, as amended, 40% of the revenues generated through sports gambling would be dedicated for additional grants to LEAs for pre-k classrooms. According to the bill’s fiscal note, more…
» Read MoreSupport for SB 2179 / HB 2201
Tennesseans for Quality Early Education supports SB 2179 / HB2201 Tennesseans for Quality Early Education today announced support for SB 2179 / HB 2201. Sponsored by Sen. Ferrell Haile and Rep. Rebecca Alexander, the legislation would redirect sports gambling revenues to enable the Tennessee Department of Education to fund additional Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) classrooms. Under…
» Read More2021 Legislative Wrap Up
Big successes for early education, children and families this year! We had a very successful 2021 legislative session. Three legislative proposals were introduced on TQEE’s behalf, and we endorsed another six. Additionally, TQEE endorsed and advocated in support of the Governor’s legislative package presented in a special legislative session on education called by Governor Lee in January. A Strategic…
» Read MoreGovernor Lee’s Education Bill Package is a Strong Start for Tackling TN’s Early Learning Gap
TQEE actively supported the Lee administration’s education proposals during the special session as a strong and important start for addressing the literacy crisis and education-related challenges laid bare by the pandemic. With nearly two-thirds of Tennessee’s third graders not proficient in reading and math – a number that has likely worsened due to the COVID-19…
» Read MoreAgreed: $732+ million is WAY too much! Getting the TANF Reserve Amount Right
Half of all children ages 0 – 8 in Tennessee live in households with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level — that’s $51,853 annually for a family of two adults and two children. The United Ways of Tennessee ALICE report (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) says a survival budget is $65,040 for that family of…
» Read MoreSpecial Legislative Session Called at a Crucial Time for Getting Early Education Right in Tennessee
Governor Bill Lee has called a special legislative session, beginning Tuesday, January 19th, to prioritize passing a suite of education bills related to sagging literacy, learning loss, assessment and accountability and salary increases for teachers and other educational staff. With two-thirds of Tennessee’s third graders not proficient in reading and math – a number that…
» Read MoreMayor Jake Bynum – Weakley County, TN – On Early Education, PreK and Child Care
Mayor Jake Bynum of Weakley County, TN joined TQEE for our 2020 Day on the Hill to advocate for state policies that support quality early childhood education and, in turn, improved workforce and economic outcomes for Tennesseans. He shared his perspective with us on video, and was also joined in some of that video footage…
» Read MoreMayors Speak for Children at TQEE Day on the Hill
On February 19th, Mayors from counties across the state joined TQEE to emphasize the importance of policies that would allow for accessible and affordable childcare, expanded Pre-K and overall improved early learning. As Mayor Julian McTizic of Bolivar put it: “The future of our community and the future of our state depends on early childhood…
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