NASHVILLE – Gov. Phil Bredesen urged Tennessee lawmakers Tuesday to “seize the day” and quickly approve his proposed reforms for K-12 education and also move on an overhaul of higher education.
“I’ve called this special session because sometimes the planets just line up and there is an opportunity that you didn’t expect,” Gov. Bredesen told a joint session of the House and Senate as lawmakers began their special legislative session. “These are the times to seize the moment.”
The opportunity, Gov. Bredesen said, is the federal government’s Race to the Top program, which will award some $4 billion in competitive grants to reward states that push for K-12 education innovation and reform. The deadline for the state’s application is Jan. 19.
The administration and the 55,000-member Tennessee Education Association have been at odds over what percentage student testing data should have when evaluating teachers and principals and in granting tenure.
At the same time, the governor is pressing for reforms to higher education that would reward colleges and universities doing a better job in retaining and graduating students.