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Contributed commentary from State Rep. Jeff Burkhart.
A new school year always brings renewed optimism and fresh opportunities for another year of learning. The first day back can bring a lot of emotions — excitement, nervousness, and eagerness for new adventures and friends. But it can also bring a sense of anxiety for many parents about their child’s safety and education.
Tennessee’s public education system serves nearly 1 million students annually, and it is one of my top priorities as a lawmaker to ensure school districts are safe, well-funded, and our students are thriving.
Four years ago, the pandemic upended every aspect of our lives. It amplified our students’ learning challenges and disrupted our classrooms in ways we could not have imagined. It opened our eyes to many challenges of our education system.
Tennessee continues to invest heavily in early childhood literacy as well as interventions and high-dosage tutoring programs. These efforts have proven to be successful at accelerating student learning beyond what was lost during the pandemic, and most of these programs have been made permanent.
Helping our teachers
To be the best, Tennessee students need the best teachers. We are extremely fortunate in Montgomery County to have dedicated teachers who walk into our classrooms and give their best every day. Our teachers are tasked with the incredibly important job of educating the next generation of Tennesseans. I believe investing in the people who guide and teach our students will pay big dividends in the future.
I’m proud that Tennessee is recognized as a national leader in education workforce development. Tennessee’s Grow Your Own initiative is a model for other states across the country that are working to address their state’s shortage of teaching professionals.
We are the first in the nation to provide those interested in education a pathway to enter the profession at no cost while also earning a wage through the Teacher Occupation Apprenticeship. These initiatives are creating a pipeline of highly effective and talented teaching professionals eager to make a difference.
The General Assembly has since 2012 provided $1 billion for teacher pay increases. In my first year in the House, I was proud to vote for the Teacher Paycheck Protection Act, benefiting 7,500 professional educators statewide. This initiative not only provided the largest single pay increase for our teachers in state history, but also committed to making Tennessee a Top 10 states for highest teacher salaries in the nation by 2026.
Parental involvement is critical
No doubt about it, a high-quality education is powerful and great teachers can change lives. But the single most accurate predictor of student success is having parents who are deeply involved in their child’s educational journey.
I was proud to support the Family Rights and Responsibilities Act, a new law that protects parents’ rights and responsibilities to make education, health care, moral, and religious decisions for their children. The law protects children from being indoctrinated by ideologies contrary to the values taught by their parents without interference from a government entity.
Parental involvement leads to improved academic success. One of the most important ways we can support our teachers, and our schools is to send our kids to school ready to learn. Every child needs someone to make them go to bed on time, do their homework, and limit their screen time. They also need someone who makes sure they have clean clothes and nutritious meals. Children need guidance and stability, boundaries and consequences.
If a child’s needs aren’t met at home by someone who loves them, they’re much less likely to succeed in the classroom or even later in life.
Keeping schools safe
Finally, nothing is more important than the safety of our children. We know all too painfully well that evil takes the path of least resistance. My colleagues and I in the General Assembly have made school safety a top priority.
We are extremely fortunate in Montgomery County because we manage the security of our schools extremely well and our SRO program is among the best in the state. By providing funds for an officer in every school, strengthening building security, and other measures and protocols, we will ensure Tennessee schools are the safest in the nation.
Together, we are all building a brighter tomorrow for the next generation of Tennesseans. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you, and I hope we can all commit to a fresh start by making the most of new opportunities this school year.
Jeff Burkhart