Tennessee

Report: Some Tennessee students with disabilities face unlawful removals from schools

Published

10 months ago

March 7, 2025

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Report: Some Tennessee students with disabilities face unlawful removals from schools

A new report from the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office shows “informal removals” keep some students with disabilities from an education mandated by federal law.
The report urges changes in how informal removals are conducted, documented and reported.

Students with disabilities are facing unlawful removals from classrooms in Tennessee — and it’s going largely undocumented, according to a new study.

The study, released Wednesday by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability, examines what it calls “informal removals” of students with disabilities. As an example, an informal removal can happen when a school asks a parent to pick up a child early due to disruptive behavior. But those removals may run afoul of state and federal regulations for students with disabilities that enshrine their right to a free and appropriate education and protect them from discriminatory disciplinary actions.

“A pattern of informal removals can result in a significant loss of instructional time for students with disabilities and, for those assigned to inclusive general education classes, reduce the time spent being educated alongside their general education peers,” the study stated.

Here’s what else to know about the study, which stems from a legislative request made to the Comptroller’s office in 2024.

A push to track informal removals, improve support

Since informal removals are not documented or tracked by state or district officials, it’s unclear how often they occur in Tennessee, the study stated. It recommended that district and school leaders examine their practices, create or update policies and properly document removals and disciplinary actions against students with disabilities.

It also recommended that schools examine the following:

Training for general education teachers on how to teach and discipline students with disabilities.
Space and staffing needs to support students with disabilities.
The appropriateness of classroom placements of students with individualized education plans.
De-escalation and behavioral intervention techniques for students with disabilities.

Survey: Staff shortages, lack of space and training drive informal removals

Generally speaking, hundreds of school principals surveyed for the study said they believe informal removals happen in Tennessee but could not provide precise numbers on them. The principals also largely agreed that a small subset of students with severe behavioral issues are more likely to be removed than other students with disabilities. Respondents said those issues include violent, destructive or insubordinate behavior by the students.

A shortage of special education staff was the biggest contributing factor to informal removals, according to the survey. Respondents also frequently cited a lack of facilities and space for students with disabilities and a lack of training for general education teachers on how to handle students with disabilities in their classes.

Insights into informal removals are limited

While the study included the survey and a wide variety of interviews with state and district officials, advocates and others, it noted that its insights are limited. That’s due in part to a lack of documentation of informal removals. A relatively low survey response rate and possible reluctance by school leaders to speak candidly about informal removals are also a factor.

Learn more

Read the full study and find more resources on informal removals and the rights of students with disabilities at TNcot.cc/orea.

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Tennessee

Sold on Cam Ward’s future? Tennessee Titans teammates sure are | Estes

Published

11 hours ago

December 22, 2025

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Sold on Cam Ward’s future? Tennessee Titans teammates sure are | Estes

As rough as this season has been for the Tennessee Titans and a grumpy Cam Ward, a faint glimmer of light is appearing at the end of the tunnel.

It says something important about rookie quarterback Cam Ward that his reputation among veteran Tennessee Titans teammates is that of a grumpy old codger.

“Don’t be a Grinch today,” defensive star Jeffery Simmons told Ward after the Titans — gasp — won a home football game, beating the Kansas City Chiefs 26-9 on Dec. 21 at Nissan Stadium, improving to 3-12 and getting to enjoy the holidays just a bit more.

Simmons was kidding with Ward. Well, he was kind of kidding.

The last time the Titans won (on Dec. 7 in Cleveland — not that it’s difficult to narrow it down), Ward showed up to his postgame news conference in a sour mood, relatively displeased with how the victory had gone.

On the flight back, Titans defensive end Arden Key reportedly used the plane’s speaker system to joke about Ward’s disposition after the game. We know that because Will Boling, the Titans’ sideline reporter and a host on 104.5-FM, relayed that on the air (which caused the team to subsequently remove him from traveling on the team’s plane).

So that’s the Grinch-iness Simmons was talking about.

It’s also, however, why Simmons said about Ward a few minutes later: “I keep telling people, that’s the reason why I don’t want to go nowhere. I see the competitive nature. I see the growth as a rookie. I can see where he could take this franchise.”

Ward got this far as a zero-star prep recruit, becoming the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, because his nature is to never be satisfied, even while winning. This is a strength. So is the fact that he is genuine in his thoughts. Doesn’t sugarcoat. Tells it like it is.

So this Titans season has been an experiment.

What happens when you take a quarterback like that and have him lose a whole bunch of games right away in the NFL?

You get quotes like “we ass,” which Ward famously said earlier this season after the Titans started 0-for-4. Some older teammates didn’t like hearing that at the time. But he wasn’t wrong, as this season has continued to demonstrate.

Ward’s first NFL head coach, Brian Callahan, was fired after six games this season. The Titans lost six in a row after that (seven in a row total), and five were at Nissan Stadium. It has been humbling, I’d imagine, for a touted rookie quarterback, especially because Ward’s performances have been mixed, if not overall underwhelming.

But as Simmons noted, “Cam hasn’t changed” during all the losses. That’s what teammates have noticed.

Joking aside, Ward has earned the respect of teammates — young and old — behind the scenes because of his fortitude. And of course, his ability.

“That guy is so talented,” rookie receiver Chimere Dike said of Ward, “but his work ethic is something that I really appreciate. I’m thankful that I’ve been able to grow with him this year, and I can’t wait to continue to build that rapport going forward. Hopefully, we’ll win a lot of games in Nashville.”

Win a lot? Could it be that Ward’s Titans are finally noticing a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel? Perhaps all the struggles are beginning to bear fruit?

For Ward, this was a good weekend. His college team, the Miami Hurricanes, got a gigantic College Football Playoff win at Texas A&M. “I plan on them going out there and beating Ohio State (in the quarterfinals),” Ward chirped.

A day later, the Chiefs game may have been Ward’s best so far in the NFL. He went 21-for-28 for 228 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, and while that might not sound too impressive, he led the Titans to three long TD drives and a 9-for-17 clip on third down.

Those eye-opening highlights, the ones that’ve flashed all season, haven’t gone away, either. Against Kansas City, Ward made a laughably absurd throw. Against his body and off his back foot, he found Dike for 30 yards to beat cornerback Kristian Fulton (remember him?).

“I’ve been better each and every week,” Ward said, “whether it’s one thing or whether it’s a major thing.”

The Titans, as an organization, may not be certain that they have their future quarterback yet. Ward’s journey is ongoing, and it will stay this way through next season. But the arrow keeps tilting slightly more north as this rough season nears a merciful — yet increasingly optimistic — conclusion.

Titans teammates, for what it’s worth, have sounded convinced about Ward for a while.

Teammates who matter.

Do not underestimate the importance of the quote from Simmons. It’s not a given that he’d want to stay with a franchise that’s gone 6-26 the past two seasons and not even sniffed the playoffs. A lot has been asked of Simmons here, and he’d be coveted by every other NFL team.

If Simmons is insisting he wants to stay amid all this losing, it’s worth paying attention to the reason why.

That reason just won his first home game as an NFL quarterback. And you know what? Cam Ward even seemed happy about this one.

Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang out with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social

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Tennessee

Is Taylor Swift attending Tennessee Titans vs Chiefs in Nashville today?

Published

23 hours ago

December 21, 2025

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Is Taylor Swift attending Tennessee Titans vs Chiefs in Nashville today?

With the Kansas City Chiefs in Nashville, many Tennessee Titans fans may be curious if Chiefs super fan Taylor Swift will be at Nissan Stadium on Dec. 21.

Swift, international music star and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s fiancé, has frequently been seen at Chiefs games since the two started dating in 2023.

Unfortunately, Swift is not expected to be at Nissan Stadium for the matchup between the Titans (2-12) and Chiefs (6-8).

The Titans and Chiefs kick off at noon CT (CBS).

This season, Swift has attended every Chiefs home game at Arrowhead Stadium, but has not attended any road games.

Several factors have dulled the intrigue of this matchup heading into the week. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been ruled out with a torn ACL and will be out the rest of the season. Also, Kansas City was officially eliminated from playoff contention with their 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 14.

Combine that with the Titans’ poor record in 2025 — and that they have not won a game at Nissan Stadium since Nov. 3, 2024 — and you have a somewhat of a meaningless game ahead.

Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.

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In-N-Out lines in Tennessee are so long there’s now an app to track wait times

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2025

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In-N-Out lines in Tennessee are so long there’s now an app to track wait times

In-N-Out Burger expanding to Tennessee

The beloved California burger chain announced Tuesday its plan to open future restaurants in Tennessee in addition to an Eastern territory office in the city of Franklin.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Hoping to get in and out of In-N-Out Burger quickly? There’s an app for that.

The arrival of the beloved California burger chain in Tennessee has sparked such intense demand that fans have turned to technology to manage the hours-long lines.

How ‘The Wait App’ tracks massive burger lines

What we know:

Tennessee’s first three In-N-Out locations—situated in Lebanon, Antioch, and Murfreesboro—opened their doors in mid-December to massive crowds.

To combat the resulting congestion, a web-based tool called Thewaitapp.com was launched to provide real-time data on how long it takes to order both inside the restaurant and at the drive-thru, WSMV reports.

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The app relies entirely on crowdsourcing, meaning users visiting the restaurants input their own wait times to keep the data current for others.

Timeline of In-N-Out’s Tennessee expansion

Timeline:

In-N-Out’s rapid expansion into the Midstate occurred over the course of a single week in December 2025:

December 10: The first two Tennessee locations officially opened in Lebanon and Nashville’s Antioch neighborhood, drawing immediate, multi-hour lines.

December 12: A third location opened in Murfreesboro, further expanding the brand’s footprint in the region.

Mid-December: “The Wait App” launched shortly after the initial openings to help customers find the shortest lines among the trio of restaurants.

The In-N-Out effect

Why you should care:

For Tennessee residents, the arrival of the California-based chain is a significant cultural and economic event, but it has also created localized traffic issues.

The launch of a third-party app highlights the “In-N-Out effect,” where brand loyalty is high enough to drive secondary technological solutions.

SUGGESTED: See how this California In-N-Out solved its biggest traffic problem

For the casual diner, using the app can mean the difference between a quick meal and a three-hour commitment, as it even provides a “confidence level” for the accuracy of the reported times.

The backstory:

In-N-Out heiress and CEO Lynsi Snyder announced in 2023 that In-N-Out planned to open future restaurants in Tennessee in addition to an Eastern territory administrative office in the city of Franklin.

Earlier this year, Snyder revealed she and her family were relocating to Tennessee.

“There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here,” she said on an episode of the podcast Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey. “Doing business is not easy here now.”

Snyder said the majority of In-N-Out restaurants would still be in California.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

“Moving into Tennessee provides our In-N-Out Associates wonderful opportunities to buy a home and raise a family and be a part of our expansion in a different part of the U.S.,” she said in a separate video clarifying her statements made on the podcast.

“It’s tough here in California, and this doesn’t have to do with my love or loyalty to the state and our customers,” she said. “But I love our associates and I [want to] offer them this.”

Big picture view:

In-N-Out was founded by Harry and Esther Snyder in Baldwin Park in 1948 as California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand.

The chain expanded to locations across the Golden State and in 1992, it opened its first restaurant outside California in Nevada.

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In-N-Out currently operates more than 400 locations across California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, and Tennessee.

Future of the franchise

What’s next:

While the initial “grand opening craze” has settled slightly, wait times are expected to remain high through the holiday season. The success of the Tennessee wait-tracking tool may set a precedent for future In-N-Out expansions into new territories.

This story was reported from Los Angeles.

The Source: This report is based on local coverage of In-N-Out Burger’s expansion into Middle Tennessee and technical specifications from Thewaitapp.com. Data regarding restaurant opening dates and location details were verified through official company announcements and local news reports from the Nashville and Murfreesboro areas.

In-N-OutTennesseeU.S.TechnologyFood and DrinkRestaurants

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