Public School Strong tn

We are empowering ordinary people to organize for honest, equitable, safe, and fully-funded public education so that every child can thrive in high-quality public schools in the communities where they live and play.

WHO WE ARE

our statewide goals

  • short term goals

    • Stopping any efforts to privatize or divert funds from our public schools

    • Rolling back unrealistic, punitive accountability measures that harm teachers and students

    • Closing corporate tax loopholes to secure universal pre-k for all 4 year-olds in TN

  • long term vision

    • Competitive pay for all school staff to support fully-staffed classrooms

    • Wrap-around services and resources to meet the needs of the whole child beyond academics

    • Equitable and restorative accountability measures for students and teachers

    • Curriculum that offers students a creative, honest, and diverse learning experience

 what do you dream of for your local schools?

Woman with brown hair and glasses - Tonya Drossner, ES Teacher - tn4all.org
“Our public schools have been underfunded for far too long. Teachers and support staff deserve to make enough money to support themselves and not have to pay for everything they need to do their jobs out of their own pockets. We deserve healthy and safe schools no matter our zip codes.”
— Tonya Drossner, ES Teacher

Our values

We believe that strong public schools are the foundation of a strong democracy.

  • We choose the truth, even when it’s difficult. In order to address the big challenges in Tennessee, we believe that we have to teach and talk honestly about how history has influenced current issues surrounding race, class, gender, and sexual orientation.

  • Every child - regardless of race, class, gender, ability, or background - deserves a high- quality public education in the community where they live and play. We seek to address and repair the systemic harms that prevent marginalized students from thriving in their local public schools.

  • Everyone deserves to feel safe at school. We seek common sense, restorative solutions to ensure the mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing of all students, teachers, and school staff.

  • Tennessee ranks in the bottom 10 for funding public education in the country, while 60% of the corporations here pay zero in taxes. We want corporations pay their fair share to fund the communities they benefit from, and we urge State and local leadership to fund our schools so that they can fully meet the needs of all learners and school staff.

black mother and child cuddling - Honey Hereth, MNPS Parent, Support Staff, and SEIU Member - tn4all.org
“Education is the only equalizer. If every child has access to a school that is fully funded then the direction of their life is entirely up to them. We have a responsibility to be a champion for all children to ensure that they have the best education possible so that their dreams are within their grasp.”
— Honey Hereth, MNPS Parent, Support Staff, and SEIU Member

HOW IT WORKS:

STEP 1: Take our survey. Attend a 90-minute virtual orientation.

STEP 2: Take the pledge, and wear the PSS t-shirt to your next school board meeting.

STEP 3: Connect with neighbors + attend additional leadership training opportunities.

STEP 4: Build the movement for honest, equitable, safe, and fully-funded public schools in YOUR community.