Education

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has signed into law a proposal encouraging school districts to develop parental involvement contracts with students' parents.  Under the proposal, parents would agree to, at a minimum, review their student's homework and offer assistance when needed, sign report cards, ensure that their student is not truant.  They must also attend school functions, and make every effort to attend parent-teacher conferences.  According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the law is similar to a proposal Michigan passed in 2001.  Another measure advancing in the T

Federal and state organizations have approved Henry County Tennessee Schools for grants to retrofit three buildings to be tornado safe spaces. Schools board officials will meet this summer with County Mayor Brent Greer and architects to discuss the $3.75 million project. Director of County Schools Sam Miles estimates the county’s contribution will be about 4-hundred thousand dollars. Miles says construction will start next summer.

Tennessee parents would grade themselves on how involved they are in a student's school performance under legislation headed for a state House floor vote.  The measure passed the House Finance Committee Tuesday on a voice vote.

Opponents of a Tennessee proposal protecting teachers who allow students to criticize evolution and other scientific theories like global warming are urging Governor Bill Haslam to veto the measure.  Several opponents of the legislation delivered a petition containing more than 3,000 signatures to Haslam spokesman David Smith outside the governor's office Thursday.  Smith told those who brought the petition he would make sure the governor got it.  Haslam says he’ll sign the proposal, which he says encourages critical thinking by protecting teachers from discipline if they help students crit

The 2012 SkillsUSA Kentucky State Conference is under way in Louisville, and today is contest day for hundreds of career and technical education students from across the state.  They’ll compete in areas like automotive technology, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electricity and welding.  The students are from high schools as well as community and technical colleges. Winners will compete in the national championships in June in Kansas City, Missouri.   

Two blue-blood basketball teams take the court tonight for a shot at the NCAA title. Brenna Angel reports on what two seniors for Kansas and Kentucky have to say about the matchup.

Senior guard Tyshawn Taylor knows his Kansas Jayhawks are the underdogs in tonight’s championship game with Kentucky, but that hasn’t hurt their confidence.

“I mean in 40 minutes, anybody can get beat. Like T-Rob [Thomas Robinson] said, there’s no Supermans over there. So we can come out and play and we can be a better team for 40 minutes, even though on paper they’re better.”