Latest news with #ProfessionalEducatorsofTennessee
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Questions linger as bill extending recess moves to Gov. Bill Lee's desk
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Every young student's dream: more recess! Students in Tennessee's elementary schools will soon get more recess time, as long as Gov. Bill Lee does not veto a bill on his desk. Tennessee's current 2 hours per week of recess will soon become 40 minutes per day. That equates to about 15 more minutes outside every school day. RELATED: Clarksville moms spark change at statehouse For the parents who pushed for this bill, that makes all the difference. 'Article after article, scientist after scientist have said, 'you get the kid outside, they learn quicker, they learn how to socialize better, soft skills, but also they can retain information better when they get in the classroom,'' said the group Say YES to Recess. With the bill now at the governor's desk, the question has become: how will elementary schools adjust to another state mandate? 'Eventually, there's no doubt, we're going to either have to look at extended hours in the day, and/or different structured schedules,' said JC Bowman. Bowman is the executive director for the Professional Educators of Tennessee, an organization that represents over 8,000 teachers statewide. He said their members are in favor of more recess; it's the logistics that remain a huge question mark. 'Academically is the challenge that they're trying to meet, because that's what we're measured on,' said Bowman. 'You got different grades, you got different different planning periods, you got different things that you have to factor in (i.e. poor weather). And it's going to be a balancing act to try and fit it all in.' Tennessee parent eager to apply for new school voucher program School districts are already discussing what lies ahead. Sumner County acknowledged the pending change in a board meeting this week. Sumner County's Director of Schools, Scott Langford, said he too supports recess time, but reaffirmed the uncertainties behind this law. 'I now believe that we have more minutes of prescribed activities than we have time in a day,' Langford said during the district's board meeting on April 22. 'I'm concerned because of the pressure that is going to put on our elementary school teachers and principals. We will figure it out. What's also supposed to come about this is a sincere look at the amount of testing, the length of the testing.' ⏩ Speaking of, it's Tennessee's rigorous state testing system that Bowman strongly feels must be altered to better implement extended recess time. 'I think we got to be smarter in our testing, we've got to be more thorough in it. For example, if they've already mastered something, let's pick up where they left off. Let's not have to go back and test a kid 42 times on the same thing,' said Bowman. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill would require student disciplinary records be transferred to new school within three days
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A bipartisan bill would require school districts to send a student's disciplinary record to their new school within three days of their transfer date, which educators say will help teachers and districts better prepare to serve students' needs and keep classrooms safe. Under Tennessee law, a student's disciplinary record is supposed to follow them to their new district, however, educators say oftentimes, that doesn't happen. 'Their academic records will get transferred over, but their behavior records don't go with them,' JC Bowman, CEO and Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee said. 'What ends up happening is kids are going to another school system after actually being expelled, many of them for violent offenses.' 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → Bowman told News 2 in one extreme case, a student accused of a capital offense transferred schools to a neighboring district where the administration had no idea of his past record. 'It would be a benefit to the teacher to know what you're dealing with on the front end, what has worked in the past, what has not worked, and it also works with the administration that has to deal with that child,' Bowman said. Republican Sen. Bill Powers (R-Clarksville) and Democratic Rep. Caleb Hemmer (D-Nashville) filed a bipartisan bill that would require the transfer of a student's disciplinary records within three days of their transfer date. 'We want to make sure these teachers, students, administrators, counselors, know everything about these students coming into their schools so we can provide the services we are offering to them,' Rep. Hemmer said. According to Rep. Hemmer, the idea came about during a roundtable discussion with lawmakers. Both Republicans and Democrats expressed concern over the issue. 'I went around and said, 'If this isn't telling you that this is a priority and this is an issue, then you're mistaken,' because we're all coming from different districts, different political philosophies, and we're all telling you this is something serious that's happening in our district,' Rep. Hemmer said. 'This is just another step in the behavioral problems we're facing in our schools that have become increasingly violent,' Bowman said. 'We've seen that across the state, not only with threats but other things. That's what we want to make sure, that the school district is aware of any potential pitfalls the student may bring into the school, and we get them the help they need.' Lawmakers could consider adding counseling records to the list of records required to be transferred to the new school under the bill. ⏩ Bowman also hopes for an amendment that ensures school districts wouldn't be held liable for anything the new student may do until after they receive their disciplinary records. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers gavel in for special session on school vouchers, Hurricane Helene relief, illegal immigration
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Lawmakers officially gaveled in Monday for a special legislative session on Governor Bill Lee's Education Freedom Scholarship Act, Hurricane Helene relief and illegal immigration while protestors chanted from outside the chambers to push legislators to take up gun reform after the deadly Antioch High School shooting last week. Lawmakers have been expected to take up Lee's school voucher bill first, which would use taxpayer money to pay to send students to private school or other options, if their parents choose. Lee told reporters in early Jan. 2025 he wants to give parents options for how to best educate their children. Here are the bills filed for the special session on vouchers, immigration, disaster relief 'That's what education freedom does. It allows parents to decide — and not the government to decide — what the best school is for their kid,' Lee said. 'To the degree that we can do that, we should do everything we can to make it happen.' However, it's controversial and costly. The program would cost around $425 million to implement in the first year and around $226 million each year after. Opponents have also argued school vouchers take money away from public schools because they are funded per-pupil. 'Ultimately public schools will lose money. Every state that has ever implemented a universal school voucher program, you've seen the same thing,' CEO and executive director of Professional Educators of Tennessee, J.C. Bowman, said. Lee's bill includes a 'hold harmless' provision that promises public schools won't lose funds due to disenrollment. There is still some debate on how that would work, and some questions about whether the same student would be paid for twice. 'Their argument is: why should I pay for a kid who is not enrolled in public school?' Bowman added. 'Why should I give the public school money for that kid that's not there?' Under the bill, 80% of the privilege tax from sports betting, which is currently being used to help fund the HOPE Scholarship, would be redirected to pay to build and maintain public schools. Some questioned how this legislation would impact the HOPE Scholarship, but Lee told reporters sports betting has generated more money than expected, so there is plenty to go around. 'The HOPE Scholarship has been funded through lottery and through that funding mechanism of sports betting,' Lee said. 'The funding has been adequate and, in fact, beyond what was necessary for HOPE Scholarship in the past, so what we believe is there is enough money and will be an excess of money, so we don't really see a concern about that.' Bowman told News 2 he doesn't want to see the issue of school vouchers 'rushed through' a special session and believes the votes will be incredibly tight after talking with lawmakers. 'I would say it's right about 47/47 with about six people undecided. I think it's that close,' Bowman said. Both the House and Senate passed their versions of the rules for special session, assigned committees and adjourned in less than an hour after gaveling in for the start of the special session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
