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Good morning!
It’s a busy week here in Tennessee. Districts are ramping up a new school year, and polls are set to open first thing tomorrow morning.
While it will be the primary election for major statewide races, Thursday is the general election for four Memphis school board seats. Two incumbents are running unopposed after clinching the Democratic primary in May, but two other Democrats in districts 6 and 8 each face an independent challenger.
Interested in more details on the candidates’ platforms, like their strategies to decrease chronic absenteeism and increase teacher retention? We’ve got you covered: Click here for our voter guide Q&As with candidates.
Not sure which district you’re voting in? Use our interactive map to find out.
Local education coverage is disappearing. Chalkbeat helps families and educators understand what’s changing. We can’t do it without you.
Local News
Memphis’ first day of school by the numbers: enrollment improves, but teacher vacancies stagnate
Memphis school leaders toured schools affected by recent closures and the failed state intervention on the first day of the 2026-27 school year.
Around Chalkbeat
An alphabet without an F: AI slop seeps into Teachers Pay Teachers curriculum marketplace
Teachers often struggle to find high-quality instructional materials. Glaring errors and bizarre graphics on Teachers Pay Teachers suggest AI could make it even harder.
Who should go to college? More students may benefit than we think
Natural experiments show sizable average gains from college for students with lower grades and test scores, though not every student necessarily benefited.
How a years-long rise in teacher turnover reshaped American classrooms
A new data analysis of 21 states reveals years of high teacher turnover. Stagnant pay, difficult student behavior, and a lack of flexibility continue to drive educator attrition.
What We’re Reading
Pro-private school voucher Club for Growth donates $3M to PAC backing Blackburn for governor, Tennessee Lookout
Washington County School Board approves Ten Commandments display, Johnson City Press


