NASHVILLE — Tennessee’s application for $485 million in federal Race to the Top funds appeared to be on track Wednesday night after the state’s largest teachers’ union accepted Gov. Phil Bredesen’s plan to let student achievement data count for 50 percent in teacher tenure and evaluation decisions.
The education overhaul legislation cleared the Senate Education Committee late Wednesday afternoon with 12 yes votes and one lawmaker abstaining.
House Education Committee members worked into the evening arguing over bill provisions the governor says are necessary to make the state competitive in its federal application. They agreed to recess around 9:30 p.m. EST and will resume discussion today.
Gov. Bredesen has urged lawmakers to move quickly in the special session so he can sign changes into law by Tuesday, when the state has a deadline on submitting its application to U.S. Department of Education officials.
After the bill passed the Senate Education Committee, Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle, D-Memphis, said he was “very optimistic we’ll pass the bill tomorrow (out of Finance Committee). It could be on the floor by Friday morning.”