EdTrust-Tennessee

The Power of Us: 2026 Policy Agenda & Legislative Preview
2026-01-12 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Resource GuideThe 2026 legislative session is right around the corner. For advocates and community members, that can bring urgency, hope, and a little worry. With real challenges ahead for Tennessee’s students, it can be hard to know what to expect, where to focus, and how to show up ready to make a difference.
That’s why EdTrust-Tennessee is convening advocates and community members across the state for The Power of Us: 2026 Policy Agenda & Legislative Preview on January 12 at 12pm CT/1pm ET. We’ll share practical advocacy resources and tools, walk through the Tennessee Alliance for Equity in Education’s updated policy agenda, and hear directly from partners and legislators about how to advocate effectively in the months ahead.
In a moment marked by uncertainty and real challenges, our shared voice and coordinated action matter more than ever. By showing up together, we expand what is possible for Tennessee students.

Knoxville Regional Roundtable
2025-12-05 15:00 - 17:00 (America/Kentucky/Louisville) | Beck Cultural Exchange Center, 1927 Dandridge Ave, Knoxville, TN, 37915, United States
Join EdTrust-Tennessee on Friday, December 5 from 3:00 to 5:00pm ET for our Knoxville Regional Roundtable – co-sponsored by local and state organizations in the Tennessee Alliance for Equity in Education. As sweeping federal changes reshape the education landscape, these gatherings offer a timely opportunity to bridge policy and community. Each event will bring together local advocates, policy makers, school community members, and education leaders to explore what these shifts mean on the ground, spotlight local solutions, and strengthen our collective voice ahead of the 2026 Legislative Session.
Register now to join us in Knoxville to reflect, strategize, and build toward a more just future for Tennessee students. If you’re interested in attending a Regional Roundtable in Chattanooga, Memphis, Nashville, or Johnson City visit edtrusttn.org/regional-roundtable for more information.
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Johnson City Regional Roundtable
2025-12-04 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Kentucky/Louisville) | Langston Centre, 315 Elm Street, Johnson City, TN, 37601, United States
Join EdTrust-Tennessee on Thursday, December 4 at 2pm -4pm ET for our Johnson City Regional Roundtable – co-sponsored by local and state organizations in the Tennessee Alliance for Equity in Education. As sweeping federal changes reshape the education landscape, these gatherings offer a timely opportunity to bridge policy and community. Each event will bring together local advocates, policy makers, school community members, and education leaders to explore what these shifts mean on the ground, spotlight local solutions, and strengthen our collective voice ahead of the 2026 Legislative Session.
Register now to join us in Johnson City to reflect, strategize, and build toward a more just future for Tennessee students. If you’re interested in attending a Regional Roundtable in Chattanooga, Memphis, Nashville, or Knoxville visit edtrusttn.org/regional-roundtable for more information.
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Memphis Regional Roundtable
2025-12-02 17:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | National Civil Rights Musuem, 450 Mulberry St, Memphis, 38103, United States
Join EdTrust-Tennessee on Tuesday, December 2 from 5pm – 7pm CT at the National Civil Rights Museum for our Memphis Regional Roundtable – co-sponsored by local and state organizations in the Tennessee Alliance for Equity in Education. As sweeping federal changes reshape the education landscape, these gatherings offer a timely opportunity to bridge policy and community. Each event will bring together local advocates, policy makers, school community members, and education leaders to explore what these shifts mean on the ground, spotlight local solutions, and strengthen our collective voice ahead of the 2026 Legislative Session.
Register now to join us in Memphis to reflect, strategize, and build toward a more just future for Tennessee students. If you’re interested in attending a Regional Roundtable in Chattanooga, Nashville, Johnson City, or Knoxville visit edtrusttn.org/regional-roundtable for more information.
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Nashville Regional Roundtable
2025-11-20 17:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Scarritt Bennett Center, 1027 18th Avenue South, Nashville, TN, 37212, United States
Join EdTrust-Tennessee on Thursday, November 20 for our Nashville Regional Roundtable – co-sponsored by local and state organizations in the Tennessee Alliance for Equity in Education. As sweeping federal changes reshape the education landscape, these gatherings offer a timely opportunity to bridge policy and community. Each event will bring together local advocates, policy makers, school community members, and education leaders to explore what these shifts mean on the ground, spotlight local solutions, and strengthen our collective voice ahead of the 2026 Legislative Session.
Register now to join us in Nashville to reflect, strategize, and build toward a more just future for Tennessee students. If you’re interested in attending a Regional Roundtable in Chattanooga, Memphis, Johnson City, or Knoxville visit edtrusttn.org/regional-roundtable for more information.
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Chattanooga Regional Roundtable
2025-11-18 17:00 - 19:00 (America/Kentucky/Louisville) | Construction Career Center, 2225 Roanoke Avenue, Chattanooga, TN, 37406, United States
Join EdTrust-Tennessee on Tuesday, November 18 from 5pm – 7pm for our Chattanooga Regional Roundtable – co-sponsored by local and state organizations in the Tennessee Alliance for Equity in Education. As sweeping federal changes reshape the education landscape, these gatherings offer a timely opportunity to bridge policy and community. Each event will bring together local advocates, policy makers, school community members, and education leaders to explore what these shifts mean on the ground, spotlight local solutions, and strengthen our collective voice ahead of the 2026 Legislative Session.
Join us in Chattanooga to reflect, strategize, and build toward a more just future for Tennessee students. If you’re interested in attending a Regional Roundtable in Nashville, Memphis, Johnson City, or Knoxville visit edtrusttn.org/regional-roundtable for more information.
Register today to get additional details and the event location. We hope to see you there!
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Federal Focus, Tennessee Lens: How Federal Vouchers and the Earnings Premium Framework Threaten Educational Opportunity
2025-10-10 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us on October 10, 2025 at 12pm CT/1pm ET to explore how recent federal policy changes under the recently passed “Big Beautiful Bill” could impact educational opportunity for Tennessee’s students.
During this session we will cover the Earnings Premium (EP) Framework, which evaluates whether college programs help graduates earn more than peers who didn’t complete a similar program. Programs that fail this test risk losing access to federal student financial aid, putting students’ access to higher education at risk. While the goal is to support student success and economic opportunity, we want to better understand how this could affect students and career fields with low wages but provide significant social value, such as teaching, social work, and community service roles that are essential for young people and communities across Tennessee.
We’ll also discuss the Federal Voucher Program that could divert $56 billion a year to a system that allows individuals to donate annually to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit. While this may seem like “free money,” every dollar in tax credits could be a dollar removed from public education, healthcare, and programs that serve most students, widening inequities while diverting public dollars to private schools.
Advocates will leave with examples of how Tennessee organizations are engaging and affected, stronger connections to national experts and resources, and a clearer understanding of the potential effects of these changes in Tennessee, including possible actions and timelines for engagement.
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Federal Focus, Tennessee Lens: How Block Grants and Pell Could Reshape Tennessee
2025-09-05 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
In this webinar, we examine the feasibility of block grants and the implications of the new workforce Pell program for Tennessee’s state financial aid. By the end, you’ll leave with clear insights to help you understand what is coming and how it could shape opportunities for Tennessee’s students.

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2025 Southern Legislative Recap: What To Know About School Funding
2025-06-17 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Join EdTrust-Tennessee and Southerners for Fair School Funding partners for a 2025 School Funding Legislative Recap. Across the South, advocates have been fighting for fairer K-12 school funding — and this year brought both major victories and serious challenges. In this one-hour recap, we’ll break down key legislative updates from 10 Southern states, how advocates mobilized to drive change, and what these shifts mean for the year ahead.
You’ll hear directly from A+ Education Partnership on Alabama’s big reform and Fund Our Schools Virginia on their school funding wins this session. Whether you’re deep in this work or just looking to get up to speed, this webinar will help you stay informed and get connected.
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Know Your Rights: What You Need to Know About Tennessee's Censorship and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Bills
2025-06-10 16:00 - 17:15 (America/Chicago) | https://edtrust.zoom.us/j/81498989786
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Join the Tennessee Coalition for Truth in Our Classrooms for a briefing and discussion on the new censorship laws that passed in the 114th Tennessee General Assembly in 2025.
Bryan Davidson, and Roshan Neil of the ACLU of Tennessee, will guide attendees in understanding the content and legal implications of the censorship bills that threaten diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in K-12 and Higher Education. This webinar will also give updates on the implementation of past censorship laws and current litigation efforts.
We will be joined by Rep. Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville), Augustus Mays, EdTrust-National’s Vice President of Partnerships & Engagement, and Saawan Duvvuri, a student leader from our EmpowerED Youth Advocacy Network.
Attendees will also learn about current advocacy efforts led by Coalition partners and will leave with actionable resources and ways to advocate on these important issues to make their voices heard.
This event is co hosted by partners of the TN Coalition for Truth in Our Classrooms including:
ACLU of Tennessee, American Muslim Advisory Council, API Tennessee, Advocates for Women’s & Kids’ Equality (AWAKE), Diverse Learners Collaborative, EmpowerED Youth Advocacy Network, FUTURO, Literacy Midsouth, League of Women Voters – TN, My Brother’s Keeper – Nashville, National Center for Youth Law, Nashville Teacher Residency, Penguin Random House, One WillCo, Tennessee Education Association, TN Association of School Librarians, TN Library Association, TN NAACP State Conference, TN Library Ecosystem Coalition, TN Educators of Color Alliance, Stand for Children TN, Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment(SOCM), Volunteer State Seal of Biliteracy, and WilCo Iris.
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2025 Tennessee Legislative Recap: What Students Need to Know
2025-05-22 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
Join EdTrust-Tennessee for the 2025 Student Legislative Recap Webinar with our EmpowerED Student Advocacy Network on May 22 at 5:00 – 6:00 CT / 6:00 – 7:00 ET.
During this student-focused event, we’ll unpack what happened during Tennessee’s 114th Tennessee Legislative Session — and why it matters for students.
Hosted by and for students from across the state, this event will feature:

Deep dives off key bills and policies that passed in the 2025 session
A student panel sharing perspectives on how these laws affect youth and how youth engaged during session
Opportunities to get informed, inspired, and involved

Register now for an opportunity to hear directly from fellow students who are leading change.
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2025 Tennessee Legislative Session Recap
2025-05-16 13:00 - 14:15 (America/Chicago)
Join EdTrust-Tennessee for a virtual Legislative Recap on Friday, May 16, from 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM CT, for a virtual conversation unpacking impactful developments in education policy from the 2025 legislative session.
During this session, we’ll walk through key education bills that shaped the 2025 legislative session and what they mean for students, families, and educators across Tennessee. We’ll also hear directly from education and legislative leaders who played key roles in shaping this year’s education agenda, sharing their reflections and looking ahead to what’s next.
Feel free to share this invite widely as colleagues, partners, and fellow advocates are all welcome to join us.
Have a question you’d like us to consider during the panel? You’ll have an opportunity to submit questions when you register for the webinar.
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Legislative Briefing
2025-04-18 13:00 - 13:30 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
Join us on Friday, April 18, for EdTrust-Tennessee’s legislative briefing, where we’ll recap the past legislative week and highlight different ways you can take action in the week ahead. This concise, information-packed 30-minute webinar will give advocates the key updates they need to effectively push for education equity at the Tennessee legislature.
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Advocacy Alert: Legislative Briefing
2025-04-04 11:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us on Friday, April 4, for EdTrust-Tennessee’s legislative briefing, where we’ll recap past legislative week and highlight different ways you can take action in the week ahead. This concise, information-packed 30-minute webinar will give advocates the key updates they need to effectively push for education equity at the Tennessee legislature.
Register today

EdTrust-Tennessee's Legislative Briefing
2025-03-21 12:30 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
Join us on Friday, March 21, for EdTrust-Tennessee’s legislative briefing, where we’ll recap past legislative week and highlight different ways you can take action in the week ahead.
This concise, information-packed 30-minute webinar will give advocates the key updates they need to effectively push for education equity at the Tennessee legislature.
Register now

Advocacy Alert: Legislative Briefing
2025-03-14 11:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
Join us on Friday, March 14 at 11am for EdTrust-Tennessee’s legislative briefing, where we’ll recap past legislative week and highlight different ways you can take action in the week ahead.

This concise, information-packed 30-minute webinar will give advocates the key updates they need to effectively push for education equity at the Tennessee legislature.

We’ll discuss SB 836/HB 793, which denies undocumented students access to public education, and SB 415/HB 675 which reduces the number of assessments and frequency of teacher evaluations – two tools that give parents, advocates, and policy makers insights into how students and teachers are performing.
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Education for All Tennessee: Protecting Undocumented Students
2025-03-03 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
Tennessee legislators are proposing new state laws to deny certain immigrant children the right to a public K-12 education, in direct defiance of the US Constitution and our country’s long history of providing every child access to a basic education.
The outcome of the bills in Tennessee will affect not only children in Tennessee but every undocumented child across the country for many years to come. In response, we must build a broad and powerful movement in TN that lifts up the right of every child to learn, grow, and thrive. The whole country is counting on us.
Join EdTrust-Tennessee and the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition for a briefing where we’ll discuss the history of this legislation, know your rights information, effective messaging tactics, and advocacy resources to join the Education for All Campaign and engage your network.
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Understanding Tennessee’s Education Budget with The Sycamore Institute
2025-02-25 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
On February 10th, Governor Lee will deliver his annual State of the State address and unveil his priorities for the year and his recommendations for the 2025 – 2026 budget. Tennessee’s budget is one of the most significant pieces of public policy, yet understanding what’s in it, why it matters, and how it works can be a challenge. Join EdTrust-Tennessee to learn what’s in Governor Lee’s budget and the important education implications it has for students and school communities.
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TISA in Action: Implementation, Impact, & Local Advocacy Opportunities
2025-02-20 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
Tennessee’s new school funding formula, the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA), is now in its second year of implementation. But what does that mean for students, schools, and advocates pushing for fair funding? Join EdTrust–Tennessee for a deep dive into how TISA is shaping school funding, what’s working, and where advocates can engage.
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Supporting Undocumented Students to and Through Postsecondary
2025-01-29 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
Join EdTrust-Tennessee for an essential webinar designed to equip educators, institution leaders, college advisors, and advocates with the tools they need to support Tennessee’s undocumented high school graduates—an estimated 2,000 students each year—on their path to higher education and beyond. Building on the insights shared at our December 2024 Rising Together event, this session will showcase our latest research and a resource hub filled with practical, step-by-step guidance for helping students access early college credit, navigate financial planning, enroll, and ultimately succeed in their academic and workforce goals. Attendees will walk away with clear, actionable strategies to support these students as they pursue their educational dreams.
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Answering the Call: 2025 Policy Agenda Release and Legislative Preview
2025-01-13 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
Join EdTrust – Tennessee to prepare and stay in the know for the 2025 Legislative Session. Attendees will understand what to expect during the first year of 114th Tennessee General Assembly and hear directly from state legislators on what advocates should be watching this session.
We’ll share helpful advocacy tools, review upcoming training opportunities, and explore the Tennessee Alliance for Equity in Education’s new 2025 Policy Agenda. We will hear examples of how our partners activate our policy agenda from the Tennessee NAACP and share new resources related to each priority area. Participants will leave with a fuller understanding of the key education equity issues we are sure to encounter during the 2025 Legislative Session and how to stay engaged.
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Vouchers Unveiled: What’s at Stake for Tennessee’s Public Schools
2025-01-09 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
Did you know that in 2022-23 students using Tennessee’s current Education Savings Account (ESA) vouchers performed below their public-school counterparts? Join EdTrust–Tennessee to learn about Governor Lee’s continued effort to expand vouchers across the state in 2025. We will take a deep dive into existing voucher programs in the state, review the proposed new voucher legislation, including the fiscal implications for districts and the state, and current research on vouchers’ effectiveness on student success. We’ll also have a panel conversation with Augustus Mays, Vice-President for Partnerships and Engagement at EdTrust, Qubilah Huddleston, Policy Lead on Equitable School Funding at EdTrust, Brigitte Blom, President and CEO at the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, and Ellen Mueller, Communications Coordinator at the Kentucky Youth Voice Team. Together, they will provide national context and examples of Southern state wins advocating against school vouchers.
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Rising Together: Supporting Undocumented Students in Tennessee
2024-12-04 08:30 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (3310 Ezell Rd, Nashville, TN 37211)
Each year, roughly 2,000 undocumented students graduate from Tennessee high schools, often without access to resources and institutional support to pursue their postsecondary and career aspirations. Join EdTrust—Tennessee as we share findings from our latest research and resources, and bring together a panel of students and postsecondary institution leaders to learn about critical policy shifts, campus strategies, and the role of community partnerships in closing opportunity gaps for undocumented Tennesseans.
This event is co-hosted by our partners at Achievers, Centro Hispano de East Tennessee, Equal Chance for Education, FUTURO, Hola Lakeway, La Paz Chattanooga, Latino Memphis, Oasis Center, Persist Nashville, Su Casa Family Ministries, and Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition.
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Voter Outreach Training
2024-09-27 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago)
Join Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) to learn more about voter outreach and how you can get involved with SCAN’s work to make sure voters are engaged in such a crucial election.

Book Banning Webinar
2024-09-26 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Book banning is on the rise! Come hear from organizations on the front line as they help us understand what libraries and school boards are facing: PEN America, ALA Unite Against Book Bans, and a Blount County, Tennessee School Board member.

Empowered & Engaged: Education Issues at Stake in the 2024 Tennessee General Election
2024-09-12 17:00 - 18:15 (America/Chicago) | Zoom Event
Join EdTrust-Tennessee on Thursday, September 12 from 5:00-6:15 PM CT / 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM CT for an advocacy training on the 2024 local, state, and federal election cycle. Join us to learn more about the elected officials that are involved in education policy, and understand critical education issues at stake in this election. Attendees will preview our Election Resource Hub which will prepare and equip advocates to engage in this election including questions to ask candidates, and will hear from member organizations of the Tennessee Alliance for Equity in Education about opportunities to get involved locally including TIRRC Votes, Centro Hispano de East Tennessee, League of Women Voters – Tennessee, and CALEB.
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Know Your Rights: Your Guide to Understanding the 2024 Education Censorship Bills in Tennessee
2024-06-05 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago)
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Know Your Rights: Updates On What You Need to Know About Tennessee’s K-12 Censorship Laws
2023-06-07 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago)

Know Your Rights: Updates On What You Need to Know About Tennessee’s K-12 Censorship Laws
2022-11-02 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago)
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Know Your Rights: What You Need to Know About Tennessee’s Latest Censorship Bills
2022-05-18 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago)
