by Sen. Reginald Tate
Special to the Tri-State Defender

NASHVILLE – The first two weeks in the state legislature have been all about one thing: education.

You may have heard about the “Race to the Top” contest. Tennessee is competing against nearly every state in the country for education money from the federal government. President Obama has allotted more than $4 billion for education in this contest, but we have to show our president that we are trying to do something different to help our students.

 So last week, we passed a bill to make changes to our current education system, in order to make our application stronger. It is no secret that our teachers and students need as much help as we can give them, and that’s why I supported our application.

 In the application we submitted to President Obama Tuesday, Memphis schools would be helped more than any other school system in the state. Memphis City Schools potentially would receive $66.4 million in Race to the Top funds if we win the race. Eight of the 13 schools that would receive the most assistance under our application are in Memphis.

 But what did we change?

In the bill we approved, the state can create a new “achievement school district,” which would allow outside organizations such as non-profit groups to help our schools. I know that many people will ask, “Does this mean our public schools will become charter schools?” The short answer is, no. Some schools will need outside help, and for a short time, they may look like a charter school. But those schools will return to the Memphis City Schools system once they have improved, and they won’t lose any of the state funding they earned in the years they were in an achievement school district.

 We also required some student data to be a part of teacher evaluations in the future. Some teachers were concerned that this could unfairly hurt their tenure, but we are doing more to help teachers in this bill than ever before. If our application is successful, we would have $65 million for teacher training – something we have never had before in Tennessee. We want to give our teachers the best chance for success possible, and this federal money would do that.

 Most important, you should know that I am working closely with all of our school officials to make the best choices for our students. MCS Supt. Kriner Cash and I have spoken many times about how to improve our schools, and I am working with organizations such as the United Way of Memphis and the Community Comprehensive Education Foundation as we discuss how to create the best possible future for our students.

 I’m planning on hosting a community forum with members of the Shelby County delegation next month. If you have questions before then, please call or e-mail my office. We have a tremendous opportunity in front of us, and I want you to be a part of it.

(Senator Reginald Tate represents portions of Memphis and Shelby County. Contact him at sen.reginald.tate@capitol.tn.gov or (615) 741-2509 or 320 War Memorial Building, Nashville, TN 37243-0033.)