TN.gov Newsroom

NASHVILLE – Tennessee’s Jobs for Tennessee Graduates, a partnership between the Department’s of Education and Labor and Workforce Development, has garnered national success for the fourth consecutive year, again being awarded the highest accolade – the Five of Five Award – signifying JTG students exceeded the goals of the program and earned top marks for graduation and success rates.

Bredesen Accepts ECS Award

NASHVILLE - Governor Phil Bredesen accepted the Education Commission of the States 2009 Frank Newman Award for Innovation on behalf of the State of Tennessee on Wednesday.

The award was presented at the ECS 2009 National Forum on Education Policy being held in Nashville through Thursday. The award, which recognizes excellence in shaping education policy, acknowledges Tennessee’s commitment to education reform through expansion of pre-K, teacher pay increases, higher standards and other education initiatives.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Education is pleased to announce Vance Rugaard, Executive Director of the Office of Teacher Licensing, has been named President of the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification. The organization represents professional standards boards and commissions and state departments of educations across the nation responsible for the preparation, licensure and discipline of educational personnel.

Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Education today announced the 2009-10 federal income guidelines for free and reduced price meals for children in Tennessee schools as determined

NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen and Education Commissioner Timothy Webb today announced 72 elementary and middle schools will offer free fruits and vegetables to students this school year due to a federal grant. The Fresh Fruits and Vegetables program aims to increase student consumption of fresh or fruits and vegetables.

“I applaud each of these schools for continuing to find new ways to provide healthy alternatives for our students,” Gov. Bredesen said. “Our schools continue to do more to encourage healthy habits in our children through school nutrition programs and coordinated school health partnerships in every district and these grants will enhance that effort.”

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Education is pleased to announce 36 high schools have been awarded High Schools That Work Grants for the 2009-10 school year totaling over $200,000.

High Schools That Work is the nation’s first large-scale effort, designed by the Southern Regional Education Board, to encourage states to make career/technical education a full partner in efforts to improve student achievement while bringing together school leaders, teachers, parents and the community to improve the way all high school students are prepared for work and further education.

NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen and Commissioner of Education Dr. Timothy Webb today announced school food authority grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These grants will fund the purchase of lunchroom equipment for school district’s participating in the National School Lunch Program.

The ARRA provides this funding as a one-time appropriation to Tennessee.

NASHVILLE -- An engineer, banker and veterinarian are just a few among the many making a career change this summer to become a teacher through the Teach Tennessee program, which trains its seventh class this summer. Teach Tennessee is a statewide transitional licensure program devised by Governor Phil Bredesen that addresses the need for teachers in the classroom by challenging mid-career professionals, retirees and others to teach.

NASHVILLE – A new report prepared as a collaboration between the Tennessee Department of Education and SAS Institute, Inc. shows almost half of last year’s sixth grade students have a 50 percent chance of scoring a 21 on the ACT college exam, enough to earn them a Tennessee Hope Scholarship.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen and Education Commissioner Dr. Timothy Webb today joined the Common Core State Standards Initiative, a state-led process to develop common English-language arts and mathematics standards. The Common Core State Standards Initiative will be jointly led by the National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).