Latest news with #VanderbiltPoll
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Applications for Tennessee's new school voucher program to open on May 15
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The application window for Tennessee's new school voucher program opens Thursday, May 15 at noon CT/ 1 p.m. Eastern. A total of 20,000 scholarships will be available for the upcoming school year to use at more than 200 private schools across Tennessee. The scholarships are made possible by the Education Freedom Act, which state lawmakers passed in January. The scholarships allow a child who attends a public school in grades K-12 to use state funds to attend a private school. The amount available to students is around $7,000. $10,000 reward offered in 40-year-old Campbell County cold case 'A quality education has the power to change the trajectory of a child's life, and for the first time, families across Tennessee have the opportunity to choose the best school for their child,' said Gov. Lee. 'I'm grateful that the vast majority of eligible schools intend to participate in Education Freedom Scholarships, and I have full confidence in the Department of Education's ability to implement the program.' Of the scholarship available, 10,000 will be reserved for eligible students based on income, IEA eligibility, or ESA eligibility. The Department of Education released a student application checklist, which provides detailed eligibility requirements. To be eligible, the student must live in Tennessee, be a U.S. citizen or be lawfully in the U.S., have not more than 13 years in school and entering grades K-12 and must be 5 years old by September 30, 2025. 'I appreciate all the families and schools who engaged throughout this implementation phase as we continue to best prepare them for the upcoming application launch on May 15,' said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education. East Tennessee public schools respond to passage of Governor's school voucher bill According to the Vanderbilt Poll, 8% of parents with public school children said they plan to use the vouchers, while 34% of parents of private school students said they plan to apply for a voucher to help pay tuition. If the number of applicants exceeds 75% of the vouchers available, the act allows for the number of scholarships to be increased by up to 5,000. To learn more, visit the Education Freedom Scholarship webpage. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Diocese of Knoxville releases statement welcoming Pope Leo XIV
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Diocese of Knoxville released a statement welcoming the new pope, Leo XIV, and celebrating his election. 'We are filled with immense gratitude to the Holy Spirit for guiding the College of Cardinals in selecting Pope Leo XIV to lead our Catholic Church,' said Bishop Mark Beckman of the Diocese of Knoxville. 'The faithful of East Tennessee join in prayer and thanksgiving for our new Holy Father.' Vanderbilt Poll: Tennessee voters largely oppose federal spending cuts on key programs Beckman wrote that Pope Leo XIV brings 'tremendous gifts' to the papacy and the diocese looks forward to his leadership as they 'continue to proclaim the Gospel message of Jesus Christ in East Tennessee and throughout the world.' On Thursday, Robert Prevost was elected as the first pope from the United States. He is a Chicago native and was a missionary in Peru for years. He took the name Leo XIV. Zoo Knoxville welcomes litter of endangered red wolf pups The diocese also released a statement in April after the death of Pope Francis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennesseans have economic worry, oppose tariffs but back deportation efforts, poll finds
Tennesseans are more worried about the national economy now than they were in early 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and less than half back President Donald Trump's widespread use of tariffs on imported goods, a new statewide poll found. The Vanderbilt University poll released May 8 found 61% of respondents say the U.S. economy is performing fairly bad or very bad, compared to 39% who view it as fairly good or very good. The number of respondents who 'feel worried about having enough money for emergencies' is 17 points higher today than in early 2020, the poll found. By contrast, the poll found 61% of respondents believe Tennessee's economy is good. Meanwhile, 46% of Tennesseans support Trump's plan to impose tariffs on foreign goods, compared to 53% who oppose the levies. Although support for tariffs is down slightly compared to December, opposition increased by 11 points since Trump took office, the poll found. But there is a sharp partisan divide. Among non-MAGA Republicans, 75% support tariffs and among MAGA Republicans, support is even higher, at 88%, the poll found. Democrats at 93% overwhelming oppose them. 'Regarding issues like tariffs, we observe significant divisions. Republicans are substantially more supportive, while Independents and Democrats are notably less so,' said Vanderbilt Poll co-director Josh Clinton said in a statement.'Whenever we ask Tennesseans about an issue related to national politics, we are far more likely to see Tennesseans of different parties disagree on the issue.' The spring 2025 poll surveyed 1,223 Tennessee registered voters between April 17 and April 27. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Among the poll's other findings: The poll found bipartisan opposition to cuts to key federal programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and veterans' health care programs. For instance, 94% oppose cuts to Social Security. Opposition is also is consistent across party lines, with four out of five self-identified MAGA Republicans opposing reductions to these key programs. Opposition to federal funding cuts in other areas is more mixed. The poll found 68% of respondents opposed cuts to national parks and 66% of Tennesseans voiced opposition to reductions in federal research funding. 'In today's polarized environment, the focus often falls solely on disagreements, and certainly disagreements exist on issues like immigration and deportation. However, I believe it's equally important, as this poll highlights, to recognize areas of agreement across partisan lines, whether someone identifies as a MAGA Republican, Democrat or Independent,' John Geer, co-director of the Vanderbilt Poll, said in a statement. 'The data suggests widespread opposition to cutting these programs, even among individuals on opposite sides of the political spectrum.' The majority of respondents support deporting migrants who entered the U.S. illegally. Support is highest for those with a criminal record, with 73% in support compared to 14% opposing, the poll found. Overall, 51% support deporting those with no criminal record, with 37% opposing. But there was a divide over the tactics and where federal immigration authorities should find migrants to detain. The poll found 57% of respondents oppose the government searching K-12 schools to find undocumented immigrants, with nearly 47% strongly opposing it. By a slightly higher margin — 50% to 35% — respondents also oppose 'searching churches, synagogues and mosques' to find people who entered the U.S. illegally. More: Nashville ICE agency says 84 arrested since May 3 in operation with THP After state lawmakers passed legislation this year for a statewide school voucher program, the poll found far more support among parents who already send their children to private schools. According to the survey, 8% of parents with public school children say they 'plan to use the vouchers to move their child to a private school.' That's compared to 34% of parents of private school students who say they plan to apply for a voucher to help pay tuition, while 45% said they do not plan on applying at all. In addition, 55% of respondents said they oppose a bill in the state legislature that seeks 'deny children access to public education if their parents are here illegally.' The bill stalled in April after significant public pushback and concerns over how it could impact federal funding. More: Tennessee Senate passes bill requiring schools check immigration status of students 89% of Tennesseans say the state's sales tax on groceries should be cut. The sentiment cross all partisan lines, the poll found. Tennesseans are concerned about American democracy but less so compared to a year ago. The poll found 30% say American democracy is now "being tested" but not under attack; 15% say "American democracy isn't in danger," up 10 points; 54% say "American democracy is under attack," which is down 9 points. 72% of respondents said the president should not have the power to ignore the courts, an co-equal branch of government, while 27% agreed he should have that authority. Opinions on this issue split dramatically across party lines. The poll found 62% of MAGA Republicans agreed that the president should have the power to remake the federal government even if it means ignoring the courts and the Supreme Court. Tennesseans have a negative view of Congress, with 60% disapproving, the poll found. Gov. Bill Lee continues to see a net positive approval rating in the poll but the share of respondents approving of his job performance is the lowest of any governor since the Vanderbilt Poll began. The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Have a story to tell? Reach Angele Latham by email at alatham@ by phone at 931-623-9485, or follow her on Twitter at @angele_latham This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt University Poll: Tennesseans worried over the economy
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell sees high approval rating, per Vanderbilt poll
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — After 18 months in office, Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell continues to see broad public support, according to the latest Vanderbilt poll. The 2025 Vanderbilt Poll-Nashville found his favorability among Nashville residents at 67% — a very high level of approval for any elected politician that underscores the success of his first year and a half in office. The poll found approval differed across party lines, with 44% favorability among Republicans and 83% among Democrats. The 39-point difference is much smaller than the gap in favorability for President Donald Trump, which sits at 80 points on the national level. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → According to the poll, O'Connell's positive assessment aligns with the emerging consensus that Nashville is headed in a better direction than it was a few years ago. 'This is good news for the mayor and the city, especially today when you see such staggering polarization between Democrats and Republicans nationally. These numbers mean his leadership is working for both sides of the aisle,' John Greer, Co-Director of the Vanderbilt Poll, said. 'While Democrats are more supportive of Mayor O'Connell, the gap is much smaller than what we see nationally. Here in Nashville, people increasingly feel that the city is on the right track. That goes hand in hand with O'Connell's high approval ratings. It's a great story for the city.' According to Vanderbilt, the poll was conducted from Feb. 21 through March 16 and included 1,008 respondents from Metro Nashville across all political affiliations. ⏩ Poll officials said no singular issue emerged as especially striking or divisive, but concerns about affordability for their neighbors remained a priority for all respondents, regardless of income level. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vanderbilt University Poll: Education, safety, immigration remain top priorities for Nashvillians
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The latest Vanderbilt Poll shows the issues of education, safety, and immigration remain top of mind for those living in Nashville. According to the 2025 Vanderbilt Poll-Nashville, public education once again remained a top concern for respondents. The topic has been high on the list for those taking the poll since 2017, according to poll officials. Since 2017, most Nashvillians have given public preschools, kindergartens and elementary schools a C grade. However, those issuing A (excellent) and B (good) grades are slowly rising, per poll officials. In 2023, 7% of residents gave their district's lower schools an A grade, while in 2025 that number rose to 12%. In 2023, 20% issued a B rating; in 2025, the number rose to 28%, according to the poll. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → When polled about the state legislature's use of school vouchers in Tennessee, opinions in Nashville vary: 20% strongly support vouchers, while 36% strongly oppose. The remaining 44% fall somewhere in the middle, the poll revealed. When it comes to the approval of Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Dr. Adrienne Battle, 60% of residents approve of the job she has done. This number is especially high among those with children in public schools (75%) and even among those with children in private schools (69%). Those who do not have children in K-12 schools gave Battle the lowest favorability rating at 57%, which is still high, according to Vanderbilt. Concerns around crime and safety have risen, according to poll officials. The poll revealed that 64% of Nashvillians believe reducing crime should be a priority area for Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell. It was also the fourth-highest priority item, per the poll. Further, 76% of Nashvillians feel extremely or somewhat safe living in Nashville, while 24% feel somewhat or extremely unsafe. For the last five years, more than 60% of respondents have consistently said there is an area within one mile of where they live that they would be afraid to walk alone at night. As a city with a sizable immigrant population, residents have had to consider their stance on the federal government's initiative to deport undocumented immigrants, Vandy poll officials said in a release. Sixty-two percent of Democrats believe Nashville should actively resist efforts by the federal government to deport these immigrants, while 61% of Republicans believe the city should actively assist in the efforts. ⏩ In terms of individual cases of deportation, 61% support deportation if the immigrant has a criminal history, with the split at 87% for Republicans and 46% for Democrats. Conversely, only 26% support deportation if there is no criminal record, split at 70% support for Republicans and just 9% for Democrats. 'Overall, Nashville's doing pretty well. Residents are reacting favorably to what's going on in the city. That should be taken as some good news,' Vanderbilt Poll Co-Director John Geer said. 'Yes, it's great news for our mayor, but I think it's even better news for all of us who live in Nashville.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
