TN Closing Down Governor’s Academy?
Posted on 01/14/2010 11:33 am by kagranju
A friend of mine tells me that his teenage son, an applicant to Tennessee Governor’s Academy, was notified by phone from someone within the program today that the state has decided to end the program as soon as the current crop of students graduates. The caller also said that staff were only notified this morning.
This is a huge loss for the state, and seems pennywise and pound-foolish to me. This was the state’s showcase, cutting edge example of educational choice and opportunity for our highest achieving PUBLIC SCHOOL students. A fantastic, residential, highly enriched academic experience shouldn’t remain only available to those Tennessee students who can afford an expensive private boarding school, but it looks like that’s where we are returning with this decision.
Has anyone else heard anything about this? The news doesn’t appear to have hit the media yet, and I haven’t seen any legislators mention it publicly or via social media. I wonder at what level this decision was made?
Once Tennesseeans do find out that our state is losing its signature academic program for the best and brightest math and science students after only three short years, I wonder if anyone will rage about the loss in comments online, burn mattresses over it or take to the streets. Probably not. These kids probably aren’t very good at football anyway.
UPDATE: From the TGA Facebook page just now:
“Following a three-year pilot of TGA, the Governor’s Office and State Dept of Ed have concluded that the program costs associated with a residential school are too great. TGA will remain open through May 2011 so the current junior class can continue their courses of study and their internships at ORNL, culminating in th…eir May commencement. However, TGA will not be accepting applications for any future students.”
01/14/2010 at 12:23 pm
I’m so disappointed to hear this. Both my boys would have applied.
01/14/2010 at 12:26 pm
Oops, read that wrong. I was thinking of a different program. Still, it does show where Tennessee’s priorities lie, doesn’t it?
01/14/2010 at 3:21 pm
http://schoolmatters.ning.com/forum/topics/tn-governors-academy-to-change?
01/14/2010 at 11:09 pm
A friend of mine teaches in the program. He was worried every year they were going to get the ax. Guess he doesn’t have to worry anymore
I do wish we had a *real* magnet program in KC.
01/16/2010 at 5:21 pm
First off: Thank you so much for writing this. It is very comforting to know there are people out there that care. As a student currently in the Tennessee Governor’s Academy, I implore you to help the future of Tennessee education stay afloat. They claim funding is not an issue, yet they have not listened to any proposals. Sound fishy? We are the cornerstone of the entire 485 million dollar grant in the Race to the Top proposal. Yet we are being axed next year. Sound worse yet? Our position can help all public schools because we only operate on 1 million dollars a year. That’s housing, books, tuition, transportation, food, salaries. It serves the best and brightest who care. What could the state do with 485 million dollars? How many students can it help? We don’t want Gov. Bredesen to jeopardize our chance and your child’s chance. The Aademy has opened many doors for my fellow classmates and me. I want to give your child a fighting chance at any college that doesn’t see Tennessee as something to be interested in.
We are trying to help the future even though it won’t affect us. It does affect you.
Here is my contact information. If you could write a letter of support detailing exactly what this post says and send it to the contact information provided I would be in your debt. We will help you and your child have a voice. Any support you can rear in will be very welcome. We have potential investors, but we have to find the public that cares.
If you have contact information from anyone you met, do you mind forwarding this to them?
Ashley Coke
Student Government President at the Tennessee Governor’s Academy for Mathematics and Science
Email: acoke@jkccs.com
Phone: 865.405.7143