by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Franklin County School Board Chair CleiJo Walker, Vice Chair Lance Williams, and board member Sarah Marhevsky recently attended the Nov. 15 Tennessee School Board Association (TSBA) Convention to weigh in on selecting a legislative agenda for 2026. At the Dec. 8 Franklin County School Board meeting, Marhevsky detailed highlights of the agenda approved by the TSBA, with resolution topics ranging from drones to school nurses. Marhevsky also updated the board on proposed state legislation and new federal legislation impacting Tennessee children.

As was the case in 2025, the TSBA agenda will again lobby for the General Assembly to pass legislation providing funding for special education preschool students. Additions to the TSBA legislative agenda for 2026 include requesting legislation criminalizing the use of drones to record images or video of school property or students without permission; to create a task force to evaluate and reduce the number of legislative regulation for schools; to make all Tennessee school system employees eligible for the public higher education fee discount program for their children pursuing post-secondary education; and to provide funding for adequate school nurse staffing levels. Marhevsky observed Franklin County was fortunate in having “a nurse for every school which exceeds what is required.”

Both the Franklin County schools and Hamilton County schools passed local resolutions during the 2024-2025 school year opposing proposed state legislation that “excluded students who could not prove their legal status” from receiving a free public education. “There was a lot of discussion [at the conference] about free public education for all,” Marhevsky said. What passed was a motion that there would be “no action. Not a ‘no’ vote, not a ‘put it off’ vote, just ‘no action.’” Weighing in, Williams said, “the rationale was this was being handled at the federal level and to wait until it was addressed there.”

At the federal level, Marhevsky called attention to the government transferring oversight of Title I funds to the Labor Department. The $18.4 billion Title I program is the Education Department’s single largest grant program, providing funds to 95 percent of school districts to support students from low-income families. The Labor Department is now also in charge of funds that pay for teacher professional development (Title II), services for English learners (Title III), after-school programs (Title IV-B), and student support and in-school enrichment activities (Title IV-A).

Also, with possible implication at the national level, the International Dyslexia Association has revised the definition of reading disability and deleted language from its definition of dyslexia. “This may affect the screening processes used [by schools] in some states,” Marhevsky said.

At the state level, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton has proposed increasing the allocation to the state voucher program from $25,000 to $40,000 for the next school year, drawing more funding from public education to support students’ enrollment in private schools. Other legislation proposed by Sexton would lower education requirements for elementary school teachers, creating a two-years associate degree pathway to certification. Marhevsky questioned reducing the qualification for elementary school teachers, but approved of another proposal by Sexton to pay student teachers a stipend. Marhevsky also sees as encouraging a partnership between the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development and Lipscomb University. The new Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Hub will offer a tuition-free pathway to a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education while providing aspiring teachers with hands-on training.

Board member Sara Liechty commended Marhevsky for providing the board and community with legislative updates. “As we look at all the changes and possible impact on students in publication in Tennessee that are possibly on the horizon, we’re encouraged at the beginning of Sarah’s report and at the end to contact our legislators,” Liechty stressed.

The board hopes to meet with Franklin County Tennessee legislators Senator Janice Bowling and House Representative Iris Rudder on Jan. 8. Walker encouraged county residents to contact board members with questions for Bowling and Rudder to address.