TennesseeCAN Action Fund | Candidate Questionnaire

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

Thank you for your interest in an endorsement from TennesseeCAN Action Fund. At TNCANAF we are committed to ensuring that every Tennessee student has access to a high quality public education and we need strong leaders to make that a reality. By engaging in this process you have taken the first step in demonstrating your commitment to this cause and your potential as a leader in education.

Below is the TennesseeCAN Action Fund Candidate Questionnaire. These questions were created in an effort to understand the values of your campaign and how you align with TNCANAF on our key priorities.

If you have any questions please reach out to Chelsea Crawford at chelsea.crawford@tenesseecanaction.org. Should you be selected for the next step, someone will reach out to schedule an in person discussion.

For races with a primary, we ask that questionnaires be submitted no later than May 31st.

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Do you support Education Freedom Scholarships to give students access to all educational options, including public, charter, private, and individualized options such as microschools or a combination of school types?

Tennessee's public charter schools are estimated to have a gap of more than $800 per student between the funds they need to pay for school facilities and the funding they receive from the state. Further, unlike traditional public schools, public charter schools are the only public schools that do not have access to cost-effective options to finance facilities for their students, including within their own school district. Do you support increasing the amount of funding allocated specifically for charter school facilities?

Do you support maintaining Tennessee’s commitment to proven programs like tutoring and summer instruction for students in need of catching up from learning loss during Covid and extending this state-supported opportunity to all students who want to take advantage?

In Tennessee, students annually take the TCAP assessment. This provides information to parents, teachers, schools and taxpayers about the progress of Tennessee students. Do you support continuing to require this annual assessment of students in Tennessee public schools?

Do you support requiring school districts to publicly explain their process for accepting open enrollment students from other school districts, and limiting their ability to turn down transfer requests to school capacity?

Many students find educational opportunities outside the classroom, such as summer science camps, foreign language lessons and music. Do you support providing high school students with school credits for learning that occurs outside the classroom?

In Tennessee, 3rd and 4th graders may have to retake a grade, receive tutoring or take summer classes if they are below or approaching proficiency in reading. The purpose of this law is that studies show this is a pivotal moment in a child’s educational development and continuing without the ability to read could cause permanent damage to their educational future and throughout their entire lives. Others say students should not be held back because it impacts them socially. Do you support or oppose the retention law? Why or why not?