I laughed in your face and said,
“You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith”
This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel
We’re modern idiots
Who’s going to hold you like me?
Nobody.
No fucking body. Nobody. – Taylor Swift

This was a week of soul-searching and self-reflection.

The way education policy heard in this year’s Tennessee General Assembly has unfolded makes me want to wash my hands of all of it.

After a decade of covering education policy up close, I’m left with a sense of futility and a sickness in my stomach.

The hyperbole and dishonesty feel inescapable.

“Ah, you are finally seeing the evil of the Tennessee Republics. Told you they were repugnant.”

Nah, that ain’t it. They have their share of bad guys, but don’t think either side is clean. Maybe that hurts even more because I expect Democrats to be better.

They build this narrative of a big tent where all are welcome, but that’s only true if you adopt a certain set of postulates and closely adhere to them.

State Representatives Justin Jones (D-Nashville), Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), and Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) constantly complain that their voices are being silenced, and are quick to drop accusations of racism every time they are challenged.

What do you think that does?

It silences opposing voices out of fear of appearing racist. Every bit as effective as Speaker Representative Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) slamming his gavel. The two actions are interchangeable.

Phrases like “Klu Klux Sexton” are hurled, without any concerns about long-term impacts. So focused on the short-term “victory” that we lose sight of future implications.

We constantly scream for equity, but that’ll never exist until you can disagree with someone of another race and not be considered a racist.

There is constant banging of the drum for more transparency and accessibility, yet there is little qualm in sharing secret recordings presented out of context to shame political opponents instead of countering their arguments.

I scratch my head to understand how public education has reached such an exalted status, that any criticism or voiced displeasure is considered blasphemy on the same level as treason.

Man, I’m of a generation, and tribe, of no-sacred cows and nothing is beyond question.

My daughter said something on the way to school yesterday that resonated.

“Dada, your beliefs are not a reflection of you.” She said, “The actions you take based on those beliefs are a reflection of you.”

That’s an oft-forgotten truth and a welcome reminder.

Early in the week, it was revealed that Rep Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) was on tape telling a private gathering of homeschoolers, “We’re trying to just throw the whole freaking system in the trash at one time and just blow it all backup,”

Ok…not the best phraseology, but blowback has been stupid, I hate to say that, but it’s been blown purely out of context for political purposes.

Over the past several years, I’ve often heard public school systems compared to the DMV. Not an inappropriate comparison.

State motor vehicle bureaus adequately annually serve thousands of people, and do a mostly adequate job as long as your needs don’t fall out of the norm. Then it gets interesting.

If a private entity came along and presented a plan that would revamp the DMV in a manner that could possibly make it more efficient, would we outright reject the idea and call it a scam?

Back in 2015, we bought a house in a neighborhood where you had to contract privately with a trash service. Initially, I bemoaned the idea. Fast forward and there few services I’m more satisfied with then Hudgins Disposal Services. They hire great people who regularly go out of their way to provide great service.

Things change.

Over the last 5 years, nobody, save maybe Rep Mark White (R-Memphis) and Kirk Haston(R-Lobelville), have worked harder than Cepicky on education issues. In that effort, he has traveled the state talking to educators and other policy people, searching for a clearer picture.

He’s been accessible to anyone who wants to reach out.

Can he be bellicose? Sure.

Prideful? Absolutely, maybe even at times arrogant.

Does he always come up with the right answers? No, but he’s continually searching.

At least he was.

Maybe eventually he’ll return to his previous level of openness, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Don’t think other lawmakers aren’t watching either, and adjusting based on what’s happening to Cepicky.

We did the same thing two years ago with Teri Lynn Weaver. Weaver might have had her faults, but listening wasn’t one of them. She fought hard for public education, but she failed the purity test, and so Governor Lee was able to pick her off.

So what do we have now?

Vouchers aren’t completely dead, the Senate now has 18 sponsors listed on its bill. There is money in the state budget that would fund their version if they can come to an agreement with the House.

If the Senate does take up the bill and pass it, there is little guarantee the House is capable of the same.

I suspect, that if the Senate chooses to pass the bill, it’s as much to put another finger in the eye of the House as anything else.

Tennessee Stand echoes those thoughts:

It does seem that SB 503 now has the votes to pass on the floor as the majority vote is now reflected in the bill’s co-sponsors. But how did so many senators co-sponsor this legislation overnight? An effort by Lt Gov McNally and State Senator Johnson threatened members of the senate that anyone who did not sign on as a cosponsor would lose funding in the budget for any bill they passed this year having a fiscal note with needed budget appropriations.

The bigger picture politically is that if the Senate is able to get this passed on the floor, knowing the difficulties of getting this done in the House, the Senate now has the ability to point the finger at the House as the chamber that “failed” to get the Governor’s agenda passed for the people of Tennessee.

What Tennesseans should recognize in all of this is that these are not policy discussions. This is nothing more than political gamesmanship, threats, and finger-pointing. This is the result of corrupt leadership.

While we expect that this bill should garner a majority vote in the Senate, we have much reason to doubt its success in the House. We still believe that ultimately, this bill will fail.

Say vouchers truly are dead this year, what’s been won?

What’s the prize earned?

Some have argued that the $144 million in the budget could go to other initiatives like universal pre-k, or something of that nature.

My only response is, are ya new?

That money is staying right where it is until vouchers are passed or, a new governor reappropriates it.

So what has been accomplished?

Have we beaten back the threat of private corporations claiming paydays with public money?

If so, somebody better tell that to Amplify, AVID, Wit and Wisdom, TFA, TNTP, and countless others, that enjoy million-dollar contracts, using public money, while arguably providing little return to school districts.

In the past 3 years, Metro Nashville Public Schools has sent close to 2000 teachers to AVID conferences, seminars, and training in various parts of the country, mostly on the ESSER dime.

Despite my best efforts, I can’t tell you what they do or anything about them, besides them being a note-taking system and that AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. Sounds a little like grit.

I do know that it is a company with $144 million in assets and grosses over $80 million a year.

TNTP brought in $138,770,582 for the year 2022.

Going through the rest would tell a similar story.

So much for not sending public dollars to private entities.

Knowing that these monies are derived almost exclusively from public schools makes it hard for me to buy the argument that schools are grossly underfunded. I continue to believe that there is a lot of money that flows through public ed, it just goes to the wrong places.

Since we didn’t keep corporations at bay, perhaps, we made more options available to students. No, not so much.

Some of the loudest voices in the anti-vouchers camp came from small wealthy districts that are just as exclusive as any private school.

What’s the difference between admission based on a high mortgage versus that of a high tuition paid directly to a private school?

School board members and Superintendents from these districts repeatedly argued that voucher values were too low to allow for under-resourced students to attend private schools. News flash: since these students’ parents can’t pay the mortgage necessitated to live in their districts, they can’t come to their schools either.

For the record, the Senate version allows students to cross district lines and take their TISA appropriation with them. Yeah…that didn’t garner much discussion.

In essence, defeating voucher legislation serves to protect these exclusive schools’ exclusionary rights. We accept all students as long as they can pay the mortgage doesn’t have the same ring as public schools accept all students, does it.

If somebody wants to introduce a bill that provides mortgage assistance to a family relocating to a high-income community, I’m on board. Let’s see how far that gets.

Hmmm…what about teachers? We love teachers. Surely there is a prize for teachers. Nope.

Their benefits will likely stay the same, except in the case of wealthier districts that can pay more. Evaluations will also stay the same…except in the wealthier districts that can…you know the rest of the story.

They’ll probably see an extra 50 bucks a check extra in their paycheck next year. Except in those…never mind.

What about testing? Surely there is a prize there.

Nope, students will still receive the same amount of testing as in previous years. In fact, we’ll be increasing the stakes on a 4th-grade screener – in essence, adding another high-stakes test.

By the way, if you are a Nashville parent and you’re looking for a way to raise your blood pressure, try getting some information from your school about your student’s screener results and what they mean. Enjoy, you can thank me later.

The hypocrisy around testing and vouchers has been among the most disingenuous of conversations I’ve ever experienced.

I repeatedly listened to people demand that private schools take the same tests as public schools, knowing that in just a few short weeks the same people would be arguing the illegitimacy of those same tests. This year it took even less time than I anticipated.

If we all know it’s bullshit, why are we demanding more take the test, instead of banding together and reducing testing?

By the way, testing costs millions.

My 13-year-old son summed it up on the way to school for another day of TCAP, “This test ain’t for us. It’s got nothing to do with students”. He said, “This is all for adults and to measure what they are doing.”

He’s kinda on to the grift.

At least, Tennessee’s high-ranking public education system was protected. What are we ranked now?

U.S. News & World Report has us ranked 33. !7 places removed from the bottom.

World Populations on Review has us at 43 for Student Success, 41 overall.

WalletHub does have us at 31. Almost in the top 50%.

NAEP puts in the low 30s as well.

In case you were wondering, NAEP also shows that students performed at a pretty consistent level. The average scale score for 4th grade ELA in 1992 was 215 and in 2022 it was…216. Consistent with national averages.

Yeah, good thing we haven’t made any revisions there.

For the record, Arizona often offered as an example of voucher costs running wild is ranked in the bottom 5 of state public education systems. I don’t any possible solution should be off the table for them.

Arizona spends nearly a billion a year on vouchers. A cost this oft cited as a sign of fiscal responsibility. But, compare that to MNPS’s annual $1.25 billion budget that produces a success rate of roughly 30%. If the kids in the voucher program produce rates over 30%, is Arizona’s voucher cost still irresponsible?

Just one more subject that should have been discussed. Unfortunately, we chose to stick to t-shirt slogans and employ language – grift, con, theft – that limited deeper exploration of policy.

So if I’m running a risk-reward calculation – we lose transparency, and accessibility while gaining nothing but potentially a voucher program – I don’t see how we won.

In fact, I can’t help but wonder, who’s grifting who?

Maybe you’ve got a different calculator.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Bo Watson (R-Hixson) sums it up.

“Sometimes legislation gets introduced, it creates an incredible amount of awareness,” Watson said. “It may not be ready at a particular time, but it builds great awareness, builds strength behind the idea… and makes the next session debate even easier.”

Anti-voucher folks have an opportunity this summer to make that conversation a lot more difficult if they get out and campaign.

Maybe, when that tally arrives, the risk-reward equation will look a bit more balanced.

– – –

A bill providing charter schools the right the buy underutilized or empty school buildings at market value or below passed this week. It sparked considerable discussion, highlighted by Representative Bo Mitchell suggesting that MNPS bulldoze buildings before allowing them to go to schools serving large numbers of impoverished and minority students.

“I have a new high school in my community, the old property is not being used. Probably the most valuable piece of property in Davidson County right now,” said Mitchell. “I suggest to Metro bulldoze it before you ever give it to them.”

News 5 reporter Phil Williams wouldn’t even need a hidden recorder for this one. It was said right on the House floor. Imagine if those words had come from anyone in House GOP leadership.

One Republican who did push back was Representative Jody Barrett of Dixon.

“I can’t support the bill because we’re allowing these charter school organizations to come in and interfere with the negotiation that’s already been done so that an LEA can’t get the highest and best dollar for the property,” said Barrett.

That argument was countered by the bill’s sponsor, Representative Ryan Williams (R-Cookeville).

“If you have buyer A who’s been working the LEA and they are 10 percent over fair market value, then all it says is the charter has the ability to buy it at that rate or higher. They get the opportunity to say no or to refuse at that rate,” said Williams. “I’m not trying to be divisive or argumentative, I just don’t agree with your synopsis of what the first right of refusal in this agreement means.”

Ultimately the bill passed 63 -26 and is headed to the Governor’s desk for his signature, making it law.

– – –

Last week, MNPS school board members were taking a victory lap celebrating the revisions to their public participation policy. They were most proud of the removal of the requirement to speak only on agenda items. A provision that was voted on by several of the current board members wishing to speak about school closing and masking policies during COVID.

The new policy limits public participation to no more than 20 speakers or 4o minutes. each speaker receives 2 minutes.

Apparently, action was taken just in time because slots are going fast for this upcoming board meeting. Expectations are that the list will hit capacity.

Can’t wait to see which subject matter has spurred inspiration – magnet school lottery screw-up or charter school applications.

– – –

Speaking of Magnet School screwups, MNPS is finally owning up to one of the city’s worst-kept secrets.

Communications Chief Sean Braisted offers that;

“An error in setting enrollment capacity at Meigs for the 6th grade led to an unexpectedly large class size for the next year, but currently only a 20-student increase in total school enrollment compared to this year. While enrollment could rise by up to 29 more students, this is unlikely based on past trends. Final enrollment numbers are still uncertain due to ongoing school choice processes, but no impact on classroom space is expected. Other MNPS magnet schools are at or near enrollment projections, and adjustments continue as families update plans.

He maintains that plans are in place for mitigating the error.

“6th graders at Meigs will continue to have a guaranteed pathway for Hume-Fogg in 9th grade for the 2027-28 school year, provided they apply and meet criteria. Despite the enrollment mistake, the lottery system functioned correctly. Efforts are underway to address this oversight and support affected schools and families, with the potential for more students to attend their preferred schools. Enrollment trends will continue to be monitored.”

Missing from Braisted’s explanation is the impact this screwup will have in three years.

Meigs provides an automatic pathway to one of MNPS’s high-achieving academic magnets, Hume-Fogg.

Typically, seats to Hume-Fogg are divided equally between the automatic pathway and new students. With this year’s upcoming 6th-grade class being twice as large, that’s going to severely limit seats for students outside of the automatic pathways.

Meigs leadership has told parents that the number of enrolled students for 6th grade next year is 340.  Hume-Foggs grade level capacity is 225, so it’s hard to understand how HFA will be able to accommodate this class of students in 27-28.

Hume-Fogg is housed in one of the district’s older buildings and is located in downtown Nashville. Expanding seating would be difficult.

There will not be *any* opportunities for students to join the class of 2031 at HFA.

District parents continue to raise questions.

MNPS School Board Chair Rachel Elrod has said that maybe 1 teacher would need to be hired. A statement not born out by the MNPS hiring platform. Meigs is hiring 7 additional teachers and an additional assistant principal. Even as they are losing 5th grade to elementary school.

There have been other problems that have come up with the lottery. Why is a DEI specialist, Ashford Hughes, in charge of the lottery (something that is primarily logistics)?

Ironically, the district claims to prioritize DEI, but they are cutting the middle school academic magnet seats at the school (MLK) that has more diversity and is located in a poorer, Black neighborhood while doubling 6th-grade enrollment at Meigs.  Enrollment is way down in the high school grades at MLK, but this “mistake” will cause over-enrollment at HFA, which is much less diverse than at MLK.

All the investment in preventing vouchers is for naught if school districts don’t serve families.

With to without vouchers, parents who feel that their children are not being served will leave.

As a result, districts will lose funding. It’s not hard math.

– – –

My goal with this blog has always been to bring more people to the conversation. Never has it been to run people out of the conversation.

I don’t care if you are wrong 95% of the time if you show a willingness for good-faith engagement you are a welcome addition.

Maybe we’ll lower that number to 93% of the time.

Maybe you’ll raise my success rate.

We gotta stop with the “gotcha” arguments and the hidden recording. To have a true conversation, at times participants have to have a sense a privacy, A place to voice ideas that may be flawed.

There are no shortcuts to producing quality outcomes.

It has to be policy over personalities, and we gotta start running risk-reward calculations.

Nothing is pure, and everything has unintended consequences.

My son often gets caught up in perceived actions of disrespect. Last night we discussed a play where one of his teammates hit a ball to the pitcher, who proceeded to run it all the way to first instead of make the throw.

Supposedly this is interpreted as a sign of disrespect.

“When I did that I got cleated”, he said.

He then asked, “Would you be mad if they did that to you?”

“Probably not”, I responded, “I. try not to get caught up in the disrespect thing. My focus is on the end goal and how to get there. The rest is just noise.”

“Whether you respect me or not is secondary to achieving the goal.”

Furthermore, it’s all about forging relationships. Especially ones that live outside your silo

I suspect you’ll hear from me next week as I’m a bit of a glutton for punishment,

But this has to get a little more enjoyable.

Or maybe just tolerable.

– – –

Per usual, I need to rattle the cup a little bit before I head out the door.

If you could help a brother out…and you think this blog has value, your support would be greatly appreciated. This time of year money gets really tight, while the blogging workload increases exponentially. that can’t be overstated.

To those who’ve thrown some coins in the basket, I am eternally grateful for your generosity. It allows me to keep doing what I do and without you, I would have been forced to quit long ago. It is truly appreciated and keeps the bill collectors semi-happy. Now more than ever your continued support is vital.

If you are interested, I also share posts via email through Substack. I offer both free and paid subscriptions, but I sure would appreciate it if you chose the latter. Your support would be greatly appreciated.

Categories: Education