Bill Kilbride of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce speaks to members of the Chattanooga Times Free Press editorial board in this December photo.When a Hamilton County commissioner asked her colleagues to support the Chattanooga 2.0 initiative, she made it clear it would not be a vote for a tax increase.
Sabrena Turner-Smedley, chairwoman of the commission’s education committee, asked colleagues Wednesday to approve a resolution next week supporting the efforts of Chattanooga 2.0, the community-wide initiative to improve public education and equip students for good-paying jobs in the county.
“I don’t see how this body can support economic development like we do and not be concerned about how we are going to prepare our workforce,” Smedley said at the commission’s agenda session.
Smedley and Bill Kilbride, CEO and president of the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, assured commissioners that supporting the resolution is in no way voting for a tax increase for schools.
Kilbride told commissioners that by supporting Chattanooga 2.0 they will be standing with business leaders and community members. He said the business community believes the schools budget offers opportunities for re-arranging spending.
The Chattanooga 2.0 report, released in December, presents a sobering picture of county schools. It says only 35 percent of Hamilton County’s public school graduates are earning post-secondary credentials, leaving them unqualified for most jobs in the county that pay at least $35,000 a year.
The initiative’s goal is to increase the share of residents with post-secondary training to 75 percent, which would have a dramatic economic impact on the county.
Commissioner Tim Boyd, saying he doesn’t think the school system has an “ear for change,” asked Kilbride if he thinks educators will be receptive to professional opinions from non-educators.
Kilbride said he understands no one likes being told what to do, but Chattanooga 2.0 can succeed only if people from outside the education system take the time to understand and question what takes place inside schools.
“We will keep asking why until we understand,” he said, emphasizing that improving schools takes a lot of opinions and expertise.
Boyd offered his support, and said, “I hope it works.”
Kilbride responded, “It has to.”
Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow on twitter @kendi_and.