EDlection2018: Republican Lee Wins TN Governor’s Race, Will Oversee State’s Ed Reform Legacy
EDlection2018: We have analyzed numerous races for the 2018 midterms, which have the potential to impact education policies at the state and federal level. Stay updated with the latest news by subscribing to Newsletter.
According to NBC News, Republican Bill Lee, a businessman and political novice, will become the next governor of Tennessee, defeating Karl Dean, the former mayor of Nashville.
As of 8:55 p.m. eastern time, Lee is currently leading with 62 percent of the vote, with 41 percent of votes counted. He will now be responsible for continuing the state’s bipartisan education reform efforts, which have focused on implementing rigorous standardized tests and evaluating teachers based partly on student performance on these tests.
Tennessee was previously granted a Race to the Top award during the Obama administration, which led to the establishment of an innovative school district in Memphis and increased support for teacher evaluations. However, the state also faced challenges, including the state takeover district’s failure to improve student academic performance and issues with statewide testing systems, during the past two gubernatorial administrations.
This election is seen as a pivotal moment for Tennessee’s education reforms, as it will determine whether the progress made thus far will be continued and accelerated. David Mansouri, president of Tennessee SCORE, an education reform advocacy group, expressed the importance of this moment, stating that transitions like these can easily lead to a shift in priorities.
During his campaign, Lee emphasized the importance of career and technical education and vocational training. Drawing from his experience in training employees at his family contracting business, he believes that every student should have access to vocational training.
EDlection2018: We have evaluated numerous races for the 2018 midterms that have the potential to impact state or federal education policies. Stay informed with the latest news by subscribing to Newsletter.
