Tennessee
Tennessee lawmakers closer to approving governor’s education funding plan
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – Tennessee lawmakers are inching nearer to creating a significant change in how the state’s public colleges are funded.
Gov. Invoice Lee’s funding system plan, generally known as the Tennessee Funding and Scholar Achievement program, or TISA, cleared two key committees Tuesday and can go to the total Home and Senate for a last vote as quickly as this week.
The funding system was authorized by the Senate Finance, Methods and Means Committee and the Home Finance, Methods and Means Committee.
Solely 11% of Memphis-Shelby County Colleges college students are acting at grade degree, in response to the latest state check scores.
“That’s horrible, and that’s our actuality. That’s the place we’re proper now,” mentioned Ashlyn Sparks, a former instructor who now works with the Memphis Raise, a mother or father training group.
Sparks places a lot of the blame on the state’s present funding system, generally known as the Fundamental Schooling Program (BEP), which she says fails to fulfill the wants of scholars, particularly those that battle to be taught.
“There are such a lot of distinctive wants of scholars,” mentioned Sparks. “Whether or not it’s psychological well being, whether or not it’s wraparound companies, whether or not it’s bodily well being that this pandemic has both created or delivered to mild, and now’s the time to fund pupil want. Now could be the time to deal with these points.”
That’s what the governor says his funding system will do, by tying the sum of money every district receives to the distinctive wants of its college students.
Below the plan, the state supplies a base quantity for every pupil after which provides cash relying on the distinctive traits of every pupil.
Colleges would get extra funding for every pupil who’s economically deprived, has a incapacity, is an English language learner, or who is presented, for example.
Memphis-Shelby County Colleges is projected to get about $113 million in extra funding beneath the governor’s plan, in response to Tennessee training commissioner Penny Schwinn.
However critics say the numbers might not be dependable.
“I simply assume the maths of this may get challenged and there’s some warning indicators that we must always take a look at,” mentioned State Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville.
Yarbro says the governor’s plan shuffles cash round as a substitute of really including more cash to varsities.
“Basically we’re doing a variety of reallocating on this system and I’m unsure that’s actually the largest drawback now we have,” mentioned Yarbro.
However supporters of TISA, like Ashlyn Sparks, say it’s an enormous enchancment over BEP and can present mother and father with extra transparency.
“If it’s not excellent, let’s come again subsequent yr and repair what must be mounted,” Sparks mentioned. “However kids can’t wait anymore. Time’s up for kids.”
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Tennessee
Watch: Gretchen Walsh Cracks NCAA Record in 100 Butterfly (Tennessee Invite Day 2 Race Videos)
2024 Tennessee Invite
The third day of the 2024 Tennessee Invite saw lots of action, with the unique setup of the meet, the A-finals were contested in a 1-on-1 format that brought many fans to their feet and proved to bring an extra layer of excitement to the meet. UVA’s Gretchen Walsh built on that excitement to continue her record-breaking streak, shattering her own American, US Open, and NCAA Record in the 100 butterfly with a time of 47.35.
Even though the day might be over, you can relive all of the action with the race videos below. Courtesy of the University of Virginia.
WOMEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY- TIMED FINALS
- NCAA Record: 1:31.73, Virginia- 2023
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:36.24
- 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:36.76
- Virginia A- 1:32.58 A
- Tennessee A- 1:34.35 A
- Virginia B- 1:35.89
- Tennessee B- 1:37.94
- Kentucky A- 1:39.66
- Kentucky B- 1::41.35
Race Video:
MEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY- TIMED FINALS
- NCAA Record: 1:20.15, Florida- 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:23.62
- 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:23.90
- Tennessee A- 1:21.71 A
- Tennessee B- 1:25.31
- Kentucky A- 1:26.75
- Kentucky B- 1:27.48
- Virginia A- DQ
- Virginia B- DQ
Race Video:
WOMEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS
NCAA Record: 47.42, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 202447.35, Gretchen Walsh (UVA)- 2024- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.52
- 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 53.34
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 51.88
- Gretchen Walsh (UVA)- 47.35 *New NCAA Record*
- Claire Curzan (UVA)- 49.50 A
- Josephine Fuller (TENN)- 51.51 B
- Sara Stolter (TENN)- 52.15 B
- Maggie Schalow (UVA)- 52.33 B
- Emily Brown (TENN)- 52.85 B
- Lydia Hanlon (UKY)- 53.85
- Maddy Hartley (UKY)- 54.33
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
MEN’S 100 FLY – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 42.80, Caeleb Dressel (FLOR) – 2018
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.51
- 2025 NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 46.80
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 45.37
- Jordan Crooks (TENN)- 43.77 A
- Spencer Nicholas- 44.41 A
- Gui Caribe (TENN)- 45.18 B
- Hayden Bellotti (UVA)- 45.85 B
- Martin Espernberger (TENN)- 46.29 B
- Ryan Merani (UKY)- 47.12
- Simon Lins (UVA)- 47.43
- Logan Ingerick (UKY)- 48.29
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 3:54.60, Ella Eastin (STAN) – 2018
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:03.62
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 4:16.78
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 4:10.74
- Leah Hayes (UVA)- 4:01.34 A
- Ella Jansen (TENN)- 4:06.29 B
- Ella Bathurst (UVA)- 4:09.53 B
- Emma Redman (4:11.33)- 4:11.33 B
- Kate McCarville (TENN)- 4:11.39 B
- Emily Brown (TENN)- 4:13.17 B
- Marie Bell (UKY)- 4:17.57
- Fernanda De Goeij (UKY)- 4:19.56
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
MEN’S 400 IM – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 3:28.82, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2023
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:38.37
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 3:49.53
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 3:42.93
- Levi Sandidge (UKY)- 3:42.52 B
- Tony Laurito (TENN)- 3:44.06 B
- Matt Styczen (UVA)- 3:44.95 B
- Dillon Wright (UVA)- 3:45.45 B
- Colin Bitz (UVA)- 3:46.13 B
- Gus Rothrock (TENN)- 3:46.47 B
- Aidan Crisci (TENN)- 3:47.84 B
- Jackson Mussler (UKY)- 3:54.39
Race Videos:
A-Final
No Race Video Currently Available
B-Final
C-Final
WOMEN’S 200 FREE – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 1:39.10, Missy Franklin (CAL) – 2015
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:42.60
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 1:46.85
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:44.80
- Aimee Canny (UVA)- 1:42.67 B
- Camille Spink (TENN)- 1:43.57 B
- Anna Moesch (UVA)- 1:43.12 B
- Cavan Gormsen (UVA)- 1:44.85 B
- Julia Mrozinski (TENN)- 1:45.64 B
- Sara Stolter (TENN)- 1:46.33 B
- Lauren West (UKY)- 1:46.46 B
- Katy Jost (UKY)- 1:48.10
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
MEN’S 200 FREE – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 1:28.81, Luke Hobson (TEX) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:31.21
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 1:35.35
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 1:32.93
- Nikoli Blackman (TENN)- 1:32.12
- Sebastien Sergile (UVA)- 1:32.38
- David King (UVA)- 1:33.19
- Joaquin Vargas (TENN)- 1:34.67
- Jack Stelter (TENN)- 1:35.82
- Connor Boyle (UVA)- 1:36.54
- Justin Peresse (UKY)- 1:36.66
- Caue Gluck (UKY)- 1:36.93
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 55.73, Lilly King (IU) – 2019
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 58.01
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 1:01.22
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 59.75
- McKenzie Siroky (TENN)- 58:00
- Aimee Canny (UVA)- 58.64
- Emelie Fast (TENN)- 58.41
- Emma Weber (UVA)- 58.67
- Zoe Skirboll (UVA)- 59.23
- Bridget Engel (UKY)- 59.83
- Hannah Marinovich (TENN)- 1:00.54
- Olivia Mendenhall (UKY)- 1:03.08
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 49.53, Liam Bell (CAL) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 51.02
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 53.43
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 51.89
- Noah Nichols (UVA)- 51.32 B
- Adomas Gatulis (UKY)- 52.85 B
- Kevin Houseman (TENN)- 53.10 B
- Jed Garner (TENN)- 53.30 B
- Jay Gerloff (UVA)- 53.40 B
- Jonathan Rom (UKY)- 53.73
- Grayson Nye (TENN)- 53.79
- Matt Heilman (UVA)- 53.84
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
WOMEN’S 100 BACK – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 48.10, Gretchen Walsh (UVA) – 2024
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 50.66
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 53.53
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 52.28
- Claire Curzan (UVA)- 49.37 A
- Josephine Fuller (TENN)- 51.06 B
- Charlotte Wilson (UVA)- 52.01 B
- Reilly Tiltmann (UVA)- 52.51 B
- Lexi Stephens (TENN)- 52.55 B
- Sophie Brison (TENN)- 53.21 B
- Grace Frericks (UKY)- 53.47 B
- Torie Buerger (UKY)- 53.83
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
MEN’S 100 BACK – FINALS
- NCAA Record: 43.35, Luca Urlando (UGA) – 2022
- 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 44.48
- 2025 NCAA “B’ Cut: 47.16
- 2024 NCAA Cutline: 45.56
Results:
- Harrison Lierz (TENN)- 45.25
- Jack Aikins (UVA)- 45.84
- Lamar Taylor (TENN)- 46.32
- Nick Simons (TENN)- 46.67
- Will Thompson (UVA)- 46.99
- Devin Naoroz (UKY)- 47.06
- Szymon Mieczkowski (UKY)-47.67
- Max Berg (UKY)- 48.93
Race Videos:
A-Final
B-Final
C-Final
Tennessee
Tennessee reading law: Less than 1% of third graders held back in 2024
Just 0.88% of Tennessee public school third graders were held back this year under the state’s controversial reading law, despite 60% of the class falling short of a state reading benchmark this spring.
With around 74,000 third graders enrolled in the 2023-24 school year statewide, that works out to 655 students who were retained, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Education. The state reading law took effect last year and led to the retention of 1.2% of third graders in 2023, which came out to 898 students.
The law primarily determines children’s reading proficiency by their English language arts scores on the standardized Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, or TCAP, test.
The 60% who fell short on this year’s TCAP represent roughly 50,000 students. However, that number does not include students who were exempt from being held back. Here are those exemptions, including how many students met them:
- 11,468: Students with disabilities or suspected disabilities that may impact their reading
- 3,511: Students who are English learners with less than two years of English language arts instruction
- 2,596: Students who were held back in a previous grade
- 2,345: Students who had other exemptions determined by their local education leaders
Exemptions were up to the districts to sort out. The remaining students had to successfully take one of the state’s many “pathways” to avoid being held back.
Here’s a look at how those students fared.
How Tennessee third graders moved on to fourth grade
Third graders who scored “below” or “approaching” expectations on the English language arts section of the TCAP had several options to avoid being held back.
Retakes were offered to third graders shortly after the spring TCAP. A total of 3,274 made a passing score and moved on to fourth grade. Another 99 students won an appeal because they faced a catastrophic circumstance around the time they took the TCAP.
Third graders who scored as approaching proficiency had three options to move on to fourth grade. Here’s how many qualified for each one:
- 1,124: Enrolled in summer school, met 90% attendance and showed adequate growth
- 7,426: Opted into state-provided tutoring for the entirety of fourth grade
- 3,262: Scored in the 50th percentile or higher of a state-approved universal reading screener and opted into state-provided tutoring for the entirety of fourth grade
- 2,895: Won a parent appeal and opted into an academic remediation plan in fourth grade, which includes tutoring
Third graders who scored as below proficiency had one option to move on to fourth grade. Here’s how many qualified:
- 3,411: Enrolled in summer school, met a 90% attendance rate and opted into state-provided tutoring for the entirety of fourth grade
Students who qualified for tutoring in fourth grade must meet an individualized growth goal by the end of fourth grade. This growth goal does not apply to two groups who opted into tutoring: Those who won an appeal, or those who scored as “approaching” on the third grade TCAP and scored in the 50th percentile or higher on the third grade universal reading screener.
A total of 1,950 third graders who fell short on the spring TCAP either did not enroll again or had data that has not been reported to the state. The data reflects reports from districts as of Sept. 6, according to the state department of education.
How the Tennessee reading law affected fourth graders
Fourth graders who enrolled in yearlong tutoring to avoid being held back in third grade must pass the English language arts section of the TCAP or hit individualized growth goals set by the state. However, the reading law does not mandate that they be held back if they do not meet those goals.
Instead, it requires the student’s parents or legal guardians, principal and English language arts teacher to determine what’s best. They can either decide to retain the child or promote them to fifth grade with state-provided tutoring in place.
According to the state department of education, here’s how fourth graders enrolled in tutoring this year fared:
- 5,389: Promoted to fifth grade with tutoring in place
- 3,996: Met adequate growth goals
- 1,740: Scored proficient on their spring TCAP English language arts section
- 132: Retained in fourth grade
A total of 906 fourth graders either did not enroll again or had data that was not reported by their district, according to the state education department.
Where can I learn more?
More information on the third grade reading and retention law from the Tennessee Department of Education can be found at tn.gov/education/learning-acceleration.
Tennessee
Former Titans Coach Named Top Candidate for Jets
Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel remains a hot name, and he may have another head-coaching job as soon as next season.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently named a bunch of potential candidates for the New York Jets job in 2025, and Vrabel was at the top of his list.
“Mike Vrabel makes the most sense to me, mostly because he won’t stand down to an owner, and that’s exactly what the New York Jets need,” Breer wrote.
The problem with that is Jets owner Woody Johnson is known to be a meddler, so he a Vrabel-Johnson partnership may never actually come to fruition.
Still, Vrabel could end up being a perfect fit for the Jets from a stylistic perspective given that New York is built upon a strong defense.
It’s not the first time that Vrabel has been linked to Gang Green, either.
Vrabel actually did a very solid job during his time with the Titans, going 54-45 while making three playoff appearances—including a pair of AFC South titles—across five seasons.
Things went south over Vrabel’s final two years in Tennessee, with the Titans going just 13-21 during that span. However, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the problem was not with Vrabel.
Vrabel is currently serving as an assistant for the Cleveland Browns, but it seems like only a matter of time before he lands a better job elsewhere.
The 49-year-old also had a 14-year NFL playing career from 1997 through 2010, spending time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. He won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and also made a Pro Bowl with the squad in 2007.
The Jets have been one of the league’s most disappointing teams this season, as they are just 3-8 in spite of having one of the most star-studded rosters in the sport.
Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
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