(The Center Square) – An advisory committee tasked with examining Tennessee’s K-12 schools holds its first meeting on Thursday.
The Advisory Committee on Innovations in K-12 Education was created as part of House Bill 675, signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee. The committee will study educator licensure and certifications, student assessments and teacher and principal evaluations.
Local education agencies will be scrutinized to see if they are following the mandatory 180 days of instruction, which is Tennessee law.
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally appointed Republican Sens. Dawn White of Murfreesboro, Adam Lowe of Calhoun and Bo Watson of Hixson, along with Democrat Raumesh Akbari of Memphis.
The House members chosen by Speaker Cameron Sexton are all Republicans: Mark Cochran of Englewood, Kirk Haston of Lobelville, William Slater of Gallation and Scott Cepicky of Culleoka.
Tennessee Education Secretary Lizette Reynolds and Krissi McInturff, a member of the state board of education, will also serve on the committee.
John Ray Clemmons, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, called on Sexton to appoint a Democrat before the committee’s first meeting.
“No single party has a monopoly on good ideas and there would be significant value in the voice of someone who truly values education,” Clemmons said. “Stacking the House delegation to the committee with supporters of private school vouchers, charter schools and failed education policies, to join a statutorily unqualified commissioner would likely prevent the advisory committee from achieving its statutory purpose.”
The committee must provide a report to lawmakers by Dec. 31, according to the law.
