Karl Dean
special section :
Karl Dean
Thank you for taking the time to share with our educators today . On behalf of our members , I would like to say we are grateful you are offering yourself for Governor . Please share with educators a little about who you are , and why you are running for Governor .
I am running for governor because I believe Tennessee ’ s best days are still ahead of us , but to get there we need to focus on the basic building blocks including public education , economic development and access to affordable healthcare to ensure a successful future for all Tennessee families .
I was Mayor of Nashville from 2007-2015 , prior to which I served as Nashville ’ s Law Director and Public Defender .
I moved to Nashville in 1978 to attend Vanderbilt Law School , where I met my wife Anne . We have three grown children , and just this past Valentine ’ s Day welcomed our first grandchild .
We made quite a few changes in public education in Tennessee the last decade - some necessary , some debatable . What are we doing right ?
We are clearly doing something right , as shown by our NAEP scores establishing Tennessee as the fastest improving state in the country . I believe much of that success comes from our dedication to higher standards for students and to an increased focus on teacher and principal development . The recent budget increases in education are also a definite step in the right direction and one that I have pledged to continue . Higher teacher pay will help us keep our best and brightest teachers in the classroom , transforming the lives of our youth . One example of a recent decision that will continue to reap benefits for Tennessee students is the state ’ s commitment to paying for high school seniors to retake the ACT . Historically , Tennessee students improve their composite ACT score by 1-3 points when they are afforded a second chance to take the test . Higher ACT scores enable our students to access quality post-secondary options through scholarships , such as the HOPE scholarship , and also provide them with the opportunity to enter college without taking remedial courses , allowing them a much better chance of post-secondary success . I wholeheartedly support efforts like this , which commit state funds in a way that directly benefits student outcomes .
In your opinion , what are the top 3 challenges still facing education in Tennessee ?
The top three challenges facing education in Tennessee today are ( 1 ) insufficient funding , ( 2 ) a persistent opportunity gap for our most at-risk students and ( 3 ) teacher and principal recruitment and retention challenges .
What are the steps that the state and local districts need to take to address the challenges you identified ? What impact will that have on classroom teachers ?
As Mayor of Nashville , I made education my top priority , increasing the funding for Nashville schools by 37 % and invested approximately $ 629 million in school buildings and other capital improvements across the school district . This is the sort of commitment we need at the state level , and Governor Haslam ’ s recent budget increases are a strong building block for that investment . The state