Marta W. Aldrich

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Please support local news, independent journalism, and a free and robust press. They make all of us better. Godspeed! With joy and gratitude, Marta (6 of 6)

For now, I plan to spend less time in an office chair — and more time outdoors on my bike, playing in the dirt, and building memories with my grandchildren. (5 of 6)

For so many people to entrust their most personal stories to me through the years, it's been my honor and privilege. I’ve tried to be a truth-seeker and truth-teller. Most recently, education has been an especially humbling beat. (4 of 6)

I started my career writing stories on a typewriter. I’ve reinvented myself over and over to stay in a profession that I love amid rapidly changing technology and major shifts in journalism’s business model. (3 of 6)

My first beat was covering the 1982 World’s Fair for the Knoxville News Sentinel. My last: covering state education policy for @chalkbeat.org. In between were jobs with The AP, United Methodist News Service, American Profile Magazine, and freelance work for a host of publications. (2 of 6)

Some personal news: After some 40 years as a working journalist in Tennessee, including a decade with Chalkbeat, I am retiring. This is my final day. (1 of 6)

Moms for Liberty renews its fight against social and emotional learning The conservative group views the widely used educational approach as a “Trojan horse” for indoctrination, and it’s training parents to help root it out.

With an ally in the White House, Moms for Liberty renews its fight against its longtime target — social and emotional learning. New reporting from @chalkbeat.org in Tennessee with @ericameltzer.bsky.social

Here are the charter operators applying to open or run schools in Tennessee in 2026-27 Charter school operators have applied to operate 13 schools in five Tennessee school systems beginning in the fall of 2026 amid the state’s rapidly changing school-choice landscape.

Here's the list of charter operators applying to open or run 13 schools in 5 Tennessee districts in 2026-27

Former Tennessee state senator reports to federal prison for campaign finance scheme conviction A former Tennessee state senator has reported to federal prison after he pleaded guilty in 2022 to an illegal campaign finance scheme, then tried to take back his plea.

Brian Kelsey once chaired the Tennessee legislature's Senate Education Committee, a powerful gatekeeper of state policies affecting students and children. Now he's in prison, reports Jonathan Matisse @apnews.com

Tennessee teachers should follow Trump’s order renaming Gulf of Mexico and Denali, says GOP leader A GOP leader filed a resolution encouraging Tennessee teachers to use the names Gulf of America and Mount McKinley when speaking with their students about map locations rebranded by President Donald T...

Tennessee teachers should follow Trump’s ‘Gulf of America’ order, GOP leader says

The last schools in Tennessee’s shrinking Achievement School District seek to make their move The operator of the last charter schools in the state’s waning turnaround district asks to continue managing them under their original Memphis school system before state takeover.

The last schools in Tennessee’s shrinking Achievement School District seek to return to their home district in Memphis

Members of TN Capitol Hill Press Corps on the Hill this week

Tennessee governor’s proposal would give charter schools ways to bypass local oversight Gov. Bill Lee is pushing for a major revision to Tennessee charter school law to create ways for operators to apply directly to a state commission for authorization.

Some Tennessee charter school applicants could bypass local districts under governor’s proposal

Tennessee governor confident of a quick launch after signing universal school voucher law Gov. Bill Lee signed Tennessee’s universal school voucher bill into law, officially kicking off the state’s push to roll out the program this year for up to 20,000 students.

Gov. Bill Lee expects a quick launch after signing TN's universal school voucher law. But questions remain about which company will manage the program, and how the state will verify students’ legal residency.

"We will continue working in collaboration with the General Assembly to determine the best path forward for implementation in the 2025-26 school year and beyond." (4 of 4)

"While we have had success with Student First Technologies, the current vendor for the Education Savings Account program, our team has met with a number of experienced vendors to learn how other states have implemented universal school choice programs successfully." (3 of 4)

"The Education Freedom Act passed yesterday, and the legislation has not yet reached the Governor's desk for his signature. Therefore, the State of Tennessee has awarded no contract for implementation of the Education Freedom Scholarships program." (2 of 4)

While the state's fiscal analysis of TN's Education Freedom Act assumes this vendor would manage the statewide voucher program, here's some new information and context just received by Gov. Lee's office (1 of 4):

Tenn. picks voucher novice as vendor to run education savings accounts - ChalkbeatclockCST_ Student First Technologies, a 6-year-old company based in Indiana, faces a tight timeline to stand up new systems that need to work well enough to build public trust in Tennessee’s controversial progr...

The voucher vendor that will run Tennessee's expanded program had no previous state-level experience managing education savings accounts. Arkansas terminated its contract with company last fall.

Universal school voucher plan passes in Tennessee legislature The passage of Gov. Bill Lee's signature education package culminates the drive from voucher advocates who for decades watched their policy dreams come up short in the battleground state of Tennessee.

The passage of Gov. Bill Lee's signature education package culminates the drive from voucher advocates who for decades watched their policy dreams come up short in the battleground state of Tennessee.

NAEP results: Tennessee students buck grim national trends on nation’s report card Tennessee students held their ground on a major national test in a year when average student test scores declined nationwide.

Worth noting that, minutes after #tnleg approved Gov. Lee's private school voucher plan, Sen. Bo Watson was on the Senate floor lauding Tennessee students' strong performance on the most recent nation's report card, or NAEP.

Universal school voucher plan passes in Tennessee legislature The Tennessee legislature on Thursday approved Gov. Bill Lee’s universal private school voucher bill, creating a new track for educating K-12 students statewide.

BREAKING NEWS: Tennessee lawmakers approve Gov. Bill Lee’s universal private school voucher bill, creating a new track for educating K-12 students statewide.

Universal school voucher plan passes in Tennessee House The Tennessee House on Thursday approved Gov. Bill Lee’s universal private school voucher bill, while the Senate was to take up the matter later in the day.

BREAKING NEWS: Universal school voucher plan passes in Tennessee House. Senate vote set for later today.

Tennessee governor’s school voucher bill barrels toward final votes in special legislative session The Senate sponsor defended the voucher proposal against critics who said it favors affluent families: “It shouldn’t be based on income. It should be universal.”

Tennessee's school voucher bill barrels toward final votes in special legislative session. Senate sponsor says the plan was never intended to exclusively help disadvantaged kids.

NAEP results: Tennessee students buck grim national trends on nation’s report card Tennessee students held their ground on a major national test in a year when average student test scores declined nationwide.

Tennessee students buck grim national trends on the nation's report card

Trump freezes federal grants. What does it mean for schools? The federal grant freeze fueled widespread confusion about which programs will be affected. Experts say the freeze may be illegal.

School leaders in Tennessee, and elsewhere, are trying to unravel what this Trump order means for their students. w/ @ericameltzer.bsky.social

Tennessee GOP leaders aim to speed school voucher bill through special session State lawmakers kicked off a special session on school vouchers, disaster relief, and immigration Monday, with GOP leaders signaling that they want to pass all three packages by Friday.

Tennessee GOP leaders aim to speed school voucher bill through special session. Student protesters call on them to address gun violence with the same urgency.

Timeline: How Tennessee’s flailing school voucher push became a juggernaut, then stalled again Political swings, judicial reversals, and outside money helped turn the tide on school vouchers in Tennessee. Plus: the pandemic.

Timeline: Here's how Tennessee got to this point on private school vouchers

Tennessee universal school vouchers would cost at least $1.1 billion in first 5 years, state projects The governor and the legislature’s GOP leaders are seeking even more funding for the program’s first year than the legislative analysis identifies.

Tennessee universal school vouchers would cost at least $1.1 billion in first 5 years, state projects