Number Tennessee Distressed Counties Decreases

Nashville, TN – Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has announced Tennessee has reduced the state’s number of distressed counties to an all-time low as the Lee Administration focuses on targeted interventions for workforce development and infrastructure.

“Early on, we set a goal that we would have less than 10 distressed counties by 2025,” said Governor Lee. “By focusing on workforce development and infrastructure improvements, we are down to nine counties and will continue working to get remaining counties on the path to prosperity.”

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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announces Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Budget passage

Nashville, TN –  On Thursday, April 29th, 2021, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget has passed through the Tennessee General Assembly. The budget totals $42.6 billion and includes historic investments in literacy, mental health, broadband, and safety.

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Tennessee’s Community, Technical Colleges awarded 22,998 Degrees, Diplomas during 2019-20 School Year

15,874 Awards at Community College Awards were a Record High

Nashville, TN – Tennessee’s Community Colleges awarded a record number of 15,874 degrees and technical certificates during the 2019-20 academic year – a 44 percent increase from a decade ago. The previous high was 15,240 two years ago.

In addition, the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology awarded 7,124 diplomas and technical certificates – for a total of 22,998 credentials awarded across the system – according to preliminary data reported today at the Tennessee Board of Regents quarterly meeting.

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Tennessee Board of Regents approves warranty with tuition-free retraining for graduates of its technical training programs

Gallatin, TN – The Tennessee Board of Regents reaffirmed its confidence in the quality of its colleges Thursday, approving a warranty guaranteeing that future graduates of technical training programs demonstrate skills identified in their curriculums and providing tuition-free retraining for those who don’t.

The new warranty provides one-time retraining free of charge to graduates of technical programs who are unable to perform one or more of the skills and competencies identified for their programs.

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Tennessee Board of Regents sets new tuition, fees for colleges and universities

TBR Adopts Policy on Firearms, approves MTSU request for building name change

Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Board of Regents today approved the lowest increases in undergraduate tuition since 1983.

Tuition rates at the six TBR universities, 13 community colleges and 27 Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology will increase an average of 2.6 percent for the 2016-17 academic year.

The action, taken during the TBR quarterly meeting at Northeast State Community College, represents the lowest average increases in more than 30 years. The increases are within the range recommended by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

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Tennessee Higher Education Commission Releases Snapshot of Higher Education Data for 2015-16 Academic Year

Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) has released the redesigned 2015-16 Higher Education Fact Book, providing a snapshot of higher education as Tennessee moves toward the goals of the Drive to 55.

The publication includes information about the 244,572 students enrolled in public higher education in Tennessee in Fall 2015 and shows how programs such as Tennessee Promise have begun to shape the state’s higher education landscape.

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Tennessee Higher Education Commission releases 2016 Labor Education Alignment Education Program (LEAP) Annual Report

Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) has released the 2016 Annual Report for the Labor Education Alignment Education Program (LEAP), highlighting the early successes of LEAP in local communities in engaging education and employers to develop a pipeline of skilled workers in Tennessee. The report showcases LEAP as a model for alignment between industry and education.

LEAP is one of the primary initiatives of the Drive to 55, Governor Bill Haslam’s push to grow Tennessee’s postsecondary educational attainment rate to 55 percent by 2025.

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Tennessee Board of Regents Votes to Increase Student Fees

Austin Peay State University sees a 5.6 percent Maintenance Fee/Tuition Increase

Nashville, TN – On Friday, June 20th, the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) approved a recommendation to increase tuition and fees at its institutions this year.

Among other actions, the Board approved the Finance and Business Operations Committee’s recommendation to increase hourly maintenance fees 5.8 percent at the 13 community colleges across the state, 8.5 percent at the 27 Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology, and ranging from 0 to 6.9 percent at the six TBR universities.

Because of an unexpected decline in state revenue collections, the outcomes-based funding formula used to allocate state appropriations was not fully funded this year. As a result, fee increase recommendations were higher than planned, a point expressed by TBR Chancellor John Morgan. [Read more]

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam unveils visionary “Tennessee Promise” during State of the State Address

Proposes free community and technology college education to every graduating senior

Nashville, TN – During his fourth annual State of the State address before the General Assembly, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam tonight introduced the “Tennessee Promise.”

The historic proposal commits to providing on a continuing basis two years of community college or a college of applied technology (TCAT) absolutely free of tuition and fees to graduating high school seniors.

“Through the Tennessee Promise, we are fighting the rising cost of higher education, and we are raising our expectations as a state,” Haslam said. “We are committed to making a clear statement to families that education beyond high school is a priority in the state of Tennessee.”

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