TN.gov Newsroom

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Education today announced the commencement of the 2009 Special Education Conference held in Nashville this week.

NASHVILLE – Four Tennessee Schools have been named 2008-09 Title I Distinguished Schools either for exceptional student performance overall, or for significantly closing the achievement gap between student groups. Title I is a distinction given to schools that serve a large percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. All award schools provide all students the opportunity to achieve at high levels, strong professional development, coordination with other programs, and partnerships with parents and the community.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee educators gather in Nashville this week to study what the law says about student discipline and to examine programs that provide alternatives to suspension and expulsion. The Student Discipline and Alternative Education (SDAE) Institute train educators about students’ rights, due process and effective ways to help students improve behavior and stay in school. 

NASHVILLE – For the first time, the nation has a blueprint of what research shows constitutes an effective and high-quality alternative education program.  Alternative programs provide options to suspension, expulsion, and dropping out of school so that students may continue their education, be more likely to graduate from high school, and become productive citizens. While alternative education is used nationwide, the standards authored by Tennessee’s Alternative Education Coordinator James Vince Witty comprise the first national framework for high-quality programs.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Education Commissioner Timothy Webb joined Sesame Street’s Elmo, along with partners from Nashville Public Television and the Public Broadcasting Service, to launch the PBS KIDS Raising Readers initiative throughout the state.

“Developing a child’s reading ability is the best investment we can make,” Commissioner Webb said. “Reading skills give children a head-start as they begin school and as they continue into college. Programs like Raising Readers complement our efforts already underway with Gov. Bredesen’s Books from Birth and Voluntary Pre-K initiatives.”

NASHVILLE – District and school administrators will collaborate with school counselors on how best to transition to the new standards, assessments and graduation requiremen

NASHVILLE – Tennessee is showing great gains in Advanced Placement participation among African American and Hispanic students, according to a report released by The College Board today. The study shows an almost nine percent increase in the number of African American students taking a least one Advanced Placement exam and a 35 percent increase for Hispanic students in the same category.

NASHVILLE – Twenty-seven Tennessee Title I schools scored in the top 10 percent of all schools in the state on academic tests in 2008 despite pervasive economic disadvantages among students. In addition to top scores on both the reading/language arts and math assessments, these Title I schools have met federal performance benchmarks for at least two years.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Education today announced students John Angle of Franklin and Richard Herron of Dresden will be the 2009 delegates to the United State Senate Youth Program held in March.

NASHVILLE – As a result of years of dedication and commitment to children, the Tennessee Departments of Education and Human Services have been recognized as leaders in effectively reaching over 90 percent of students eligible for free school meals through a process called “direct certification”. This process allows children to be eligible for the school meals programs without a lengthy application process.