Expressing concern that a majority of Tennessee third graders are not proficient in reading and math, mayors from across rural West Tennessee have formed a coalition to support the advancement of early childhood education. Benton County Mayor Brett Lashlee and Camden Mayor Roger Pafford are among the 27 West Tennessee mayors who have joined the coalition. The group is part of Tennesseans for Quality Early Education (TQEE), a statewide, bipartisan, advocacy organization.
“To attract good paying jobs to West Tennessee, we must have a skilled workforce,” said Mayor Jimmy Harris of Madison County. “What many people don’t think about is that building those workforce skills starts with development early in life through learning to read, solving math problems, and learning how to get along with others.”
With Bill Lee new to the governor’s seat and a large turnover in the state legislature because of retirements, the Mayors’ Coalition wants to ensure that new policymakers continue current early education investments and expand programs and policies that prove to be successful. The coalition believes the state has made significant progress in improving student outcomes, but that there is much more to do to elevate Tennessee’s citizens and communities.
“I strongly urge governor-elect Lee and the state legislature to continue to promote early literacy with proven efforts like Read to Be Ready,” Harris said. “I believe this program helps our young children to establish a firm foundation for their education journey. We need to continue to improve the quality and expand preschool programs across the state and support our teachers with quality training and coaching.”
The Mayors’ Coalition plans to grow its ranks to include mayors of more counties, cities, and towns across the state over the next several months leading up to the start of the 2019 legislative session.
In addition to Lashlee, Pafford, and Harris, others from the West Tennessee area who have joined the coalition include mayors from Carroll, Chester, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Perry, and Weakley Counties and the towns of Bolivar, Brownsville, Henderson, Huntingdon, Lexington, Linden, McKenzie, Parsons, and Ripley.
“We can and must do a better job of educating young Tennesseans in the critical early years of learning to set the stage for success in middle school, high school, and beyond,” said TQEE Executive Director Mike Carpenter.
TQEE is a statewide advocacy organization focused on education policy for children from birth to third grade. The bi-partisan coalition is comprised of business, law enforcement, faith, education, and civic organizations and individuals across Tennessee. The group’s members support high quality early education to improve academic achievement, boost workforce development, and enhance quality of life in Tennessee. For more information, visit www.tqee.org or contact Carpenter at 901-331-0153.
