U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, a former mayor of Chattanooga, suggested Thursday that Gov.-elect Bill Haslam's background as a Tennessee mayor will encourage him to focus on education.
"Mayors have a unique insight into education," said Corker, R-Tenn. "Mayors have a unique insight into some of the challenges that, especially, students who don't come from families that don't really nurture them into education, have."
Corker spoke to several hundred education guidance professionals at the opening of the 2010 Tennessee College Access and Success Conference at the Chattanooga Convention Center. In its fourth year, the conference attracts mostly high school and college guidance counselors, but includes other education employees.
SURVEY RESULTS* 69: Percentage of students who plan to attend college right after graduation* 76: Percentage who agree their teachers believe they are "college material"* 30: Percentage who believe negative stereotypes about their race/ethnicity influence their ability to learn* 70: Percentage who have visited at least one college campus* 67: Percentage of seniors who have completed a college application(The survey of 2,420 Hamilton County public high school students was conducted by 12 of their peers and was coordinated by Chattanooga's Public Education Foundation, the City University of New York and a graduate student at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.)
Corker said Haslam, a Republican and Knoxville's mayor, will have three main focuses as governor: education, economic development and making sure Tennesseans "live within our means."
Corker said those priorities have "built-in conflicts" because of declining funds available at the state level.
Corker blamed Republicans and Democrats alike for wasteful spending.
"Regardless of what may have happened in the election in the last few days, let's face it, both sides have been irresponsible as it relates to our country's resources," he said.
Dan Challener, president of Chattanooga's Public Education Foundation, said that despite hard times in the public sector, he is "very optimistic" about Haslam's focus on public education.
"From all that I've heard Governor-elect Haslam say, he's very committed to strengthening public schools to help students and to help our state," Challener said.
The conference was co-hosted by the Public Education Foundation and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The 350 education-related professionals trained on how to encourage students to further their education, college financing and application processes, and the roles parents play in education.
A survey of 2,420 Hamilton County public high school students, which was conducted by 12 of their peers, was released immediately after Corker spoke. One of the study's findings is that family members have the biggest influence by far on whether students go to college.
Teresa Reagan, a college-access adviser at Central High School, said it is "very important" to educate parents about college, especially if they did not go themselves.
"We've implemented some things at Central High School to help parents, as well as students, because we found out the No. 1 resource that kids go to is their parents," she said.