Tagged: education

Governor Steve Beshear is adding his voice to one of President Barack Obama's top campaign issues. The president spoke at two college campuses this week urging Congress to prevent an automatic rate hike in interest on student loans from taking effect. Now, Beshear has penned a letter to all six members of Kentucky's Congressional delegation asking for them to block the increase. Beshear says if the rate hike goes into effect it will add an average of $940 to each student loan every year. The rate hike will affect more than 100,000 Kentucky students.

Tenn Gov. Bill Haslam is expressing reservations about a bill seeking to cap the number of foreigners working at Tennessee charter schools.

The Republican governor says he is concerned about the measure headed for his consideration after passing both chambers.

Haslam says the state is trying to promote more science, technology, engineering and math classes in the state, and he doesn't want to close off a potential pipeline of teachers with expertise in those subjects.

Tennessee is among the few other states that have enacted or are proposing legislation aiming to push parents to get more involved in their children’s school performance.  One bill advancing in the Tennessee legislature encourages school districts to develop a parental involvement contract, while another proposes what are commonly called parent report cards.  According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the contract legislation is similar to a Michigan proposal passed in 2001, and Louisiana is also considering legislation to grade parent participation.  Tennessee Governor Bil

Opponents of a Tennessee proposal protecting teachers who allow students to criticize evolution and other scientific theories like global warming are urging Governor Bill Haslam to veto the measure.  Several opponents of the legislation delivered a petition containing more than 3,000 signatures to Haslam spokesman David Smith outside the governor's office Thursday.  Smith told those who brought the petition he would make sure the governor got it.  Haslam says he’ll sign the proposal, which he says encourages critical thinking by protecting teachers from discipline if they help students crit