NASHVILLE (AP) – Proponents of a new set of uniform benchmarks for math and reading say they're needed to better prepare students for college and the workforce, but critics of the measures contend they don't know enough about them and are concerned about the federal government's involvement.

2. Education Group Hosts Talk With Haslam, Jeb Bush - Tuesday, January 15, 2013

A Nashville think tank is hosting a discussion about education reform between Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Monday’s event was hosted by the State Collaborative on Reforming Education, or SCORE, which was founded by former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and is run by former state Sen. Jamie Woodson.

3. Memphis Charter School Growth Ranks Nationally - Thursday, November 15, 2012

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools ranks Memphis City Schools as having the ninth-highest growth rate for charter school enrollment in the country.

The new charter school survey, the seventh annual by the organization, released Wednesday, Nov. 14, shows charter school enrollment in Memphis City Schools grew by more than 21 percent in the 2011-2012 school year compared to the previous school year. Charter schools serve 6,500 students in Memphis by the alliance figures, which is a 6 percent market share.

4. Teachers Turning Focus to New Evaluation Models - Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Teachers and principals in Shelby County’s two public school systems are focused these days on about a third of the alphabet, the part from A to H and where they are on a number line from one to five.

5. Haslam Announces Review of Teacher Evaluations - Friday, December 23, 2011

Gov. Bill Haslam has commissioned an outside review to help “separate the anecdotes from flaws” in Tennessee’s new teacher evaluation system.

The Republican governor said in a news conference at the Capitol that he has asked for an education foundation launched by former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist to conduct the review and to report recommendations back to the state next summer. The organization called the State Collaborative on Reforming Education, or SCORE, is led by former state Sen. Jamie Woodson, a Knoxville Republican.

6. Power Up - Wednesday, November 30, 2011

The company that operates the Power Center Academy charter school in Hickory Hill has made the list of charter schools the Tennessee Department of Education will use as part of its Achievement School District.

7. Mays to Begin Schools Suit Decision in July - Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Federal Judge Hardy Mays will begin deciding the schools consolidation lawsuit in July. And he will do it without further oral arguments or a trial.

The case had originally been scheduled for trial in September.

8. Tenn. Bill to Allow Corporate Contributions Advances - Thursday, April 28, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – A measure to allow corporations to make direct contributions to political candidates is advancing in the Tennessee Legislature.

The Republican bill sponsored by Sen. Jamie Woodson of Knoxville and Rep. Glen Casada of Franklin would also retroactively tie contribution limits to the consumer price index beginning in 1996.

9. Woodson to Leave Tenn. Senate to Head Up Education Group - Friday, April 15, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – Republican Sen. Jamie Woodson of Knoxville will step down at the end of the legislative session after being named president and CEO of former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist's State Collaborative on Reforming Education.

10. Tenn. Charter School Bill Advancing in Senate - Thursday, March 31, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – Legislation that seeks to create more charter schools in Tennessee would hurt public schools, critics said of the proposal that advanced in the Senate on Wednesday.

The measure, which is one of Gov. Bill Haslam's top priorities, passed the Senate Education Committee on a 7-2 vote and is now headed to the Senate Finance Committee. The companion bill was to be heard in the House Education Subcommittee also on Wednesday.

11. Governor's Tenure Proposal Passes Tenn. Senate - Friday, March 11, 2011

NASHVILLE (AP) – A proposal by Republican Gov. Bill Haslam that would require a teacher to be on the job five years instead of three to get tenure has passed the Senate.

The measure carried by Republican Sen. Jamie Woodson of Knoxville was approved 21-12 on Thursday. Sen. Douglas Henry of Nashville was the only Democrat to vote for the bill.

12. Education Avenues - Monday, January 10, 2011

The University of Phoenix campus in Cordova is in the midst of a renovation that included recently acquiring an additional 7,000 square feet of space and will bring two new classrooms and a remodeled student resource center to the campus.

13. Bill Would Include Bicycles in Motorcycle Law - Thursday, February 18, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Legislation that would require a law affecting motorcycles in Tennessee to also apply to bicycles has unanimously passed the Senate.

The measure, sponsored by Republican Sen. Jamie Woodson of Knoxville, was approved on Wednesday.

14. MED CEO Reacts to State Budget Cuts - Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Gov. Phil Bredesen said Monday night he plans to use the state’s reserves to spare some state jobs and key services but he stressed that painful cuts will be unavoidable and hundreds of state employees may be laid off.

15. Tenn. Lawmakers Given First Look at Education Plan - Tuesday, January 12, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Lawmakers got their first detailed look Monday at Gov. Phil Bredesen's education proposals for a special legislative session.

The Democratic governor is urging lawmakers to approve a series of changes that he says are needed the strengthen the state's application for hundreds of millions of dollars in federal "Race to the Top" money. The special session begins Tuesday afternoon and the federal application deadline is Jan. 19.

16. Tenn. Senate Sends Judicial Selection Bill to Governor - Monday, June 15, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Senate has agreed to the House version of a bill to change the way judicial vacancies are filled in Tennessee.

The changes to the bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Jamie Woodson of Knoxville were approved without debate on a 21-10 vote on Friday. The measure now heads for Gov. Phil Bredesen's consideration.

17. State Senate Passes Bill to Expand Tenn. Charter Schools - Friday, May 08, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - More Tennessee students would be eligible to attend charter schools under a bill passed by the Senate on Thursday.

The measure sponsored by Republican Senate Speaker Pro Tempore Jamie Woodson of Knoxville was approved 22-7.

18. Scholarship GPA Continues To Snarl Legislature - Thursday, May 22, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) – Sweeping legislation that includes loosening requirements for students to maintain lottery-funded scholarships passed the state Senate Wednesday but a dispute with the House means it is likely headed for a conference committee.

19. Lawmakers Work to Lower Retention Standard - Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The state Senate sponsor of sweeping legislation that includes loosening requirements to maintain a lottery-funded scholarship said legislative leaders are trying to reach a compromise on the measure.

20. State Lawmakers Continue Scholarship Retention Debate - Tuesday, May 20, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) – Legislation that seeks to loosen requirements for keeping lottery-funded scholarships likely is headed to a conference committee, but the state Senate sponsor of the bill doesn’t expect it to stall like it did a year ago.

21. Lottery Scholarships Bill Could Spark Senate Fight - Thursday, May 08, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - The Republican version of a sweeping lottery scholarships proposal is on its way to a Senate floor vote.

The bill sponsored by Senate Education Chairwoman Jamie Woodson, a Knoxville Republican, advanced to a full floor vote on an 8-2 vote on Tuesday.

22. Bill Would Specify Restrictions of BEP Funds - Thursday, April 24, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - Legislation that would specify restrictions on the use of state education finance funds is advancing in the Senate.

The measure sponsored by Senate Education Chairwoman Jamie Woodson, a Knoxville Republican, passed the committee on Tuesday.

23. Bill Would Allow Trained Personnel to Administer Medication - Thursday, April 17, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - The state Department of Education has been asked to study legislation that would allow trained personnel to administer anti-seizure medications to high-school students in emergency situations.

24. Committee Against Lower GPA for Lottery Scholarships - Thursday, April 03, 2008
     An amendment to lower the cumulative grade point average needed to maintain a lottery scholarship in Tennessee has failed along party lines in the Republican-controlled Senate Education Committee.
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25. Lawmakers Mull Phasing in Retention Plan for Lottery Scholarship - Thursday, March 27, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - Members of the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday discussed compromise legislation that would phase in a plan to lower the cumulative grade point average needed to maintain a lottery scholarship.

26. Lawmakers Nearing Agreement on Key Piece Of Lottery Legislation - Tuesday, March 11, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle say they're nearing agreement on a key piece of lottery scholarship legislation that would allow more students to graduate in Tennessee.

27. Expert Says Tennessee's Pre-K Program is Model for Other States - Thursday, February 14, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - The director of a national pre-kindergarten advocacy group says Tennessee is a model for other states because of the way it has expanded its pre-K program and shown bipartisan support for it.

28. Tenn. Lawmakers Opposed to Georgia Tapping Tennessee River - Friday, February 08, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee lawmakers say they sympathize with Georgia's water shortages but they will oppose an effort by its lawmakers to redraw the states' border.

A proposal in the Georgia Legislature argues that a flawed survey in 1818 mistakenly marked Georgia's border one mile south of the Tennessee River.

29. Wilder Lends $500K to his Re-Election Campaign - Tuesday, February 05, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - If state Sen. John Wilder doesn't win re-election this year, it won't be for lack of money.

Wilder's most recent campaign finance report shows the 86-year-old Mason Democrat lent his own campaign $500,000 earlier this month. Wilder has served in the state Senate continuously since 1967.

30. Governor's Budget Bumps Up Education Spending but Flat Overall - Tuesday, January 29, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Phil Bredesen is proposing a $27.8 billion state budget that devotes new spending to his top priority - education - but holds the line in most other areas.

"The budget I am recommending is a 'back to basics' one," Bredesen said during his State of the State address to the General Assembly Monday night. "It is realistic for the times, it is honestly balanced, it does not call on reserves, and it calls for no new taxes."

31. State Bill Would Punish False Accounts of Child Abuse - Wednesday, January 23, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - A proposal is moving through the Legislature that would make false reports of child abuse a felony.

The bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Jamie Woodson of Knoxville unanimously passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

32. Lawmakers Have Up to $27M to Put Toward Lottery Scholarships - Thursday, January 17, 2008

NASHVILLE (AP) - The chief economist for the Legislature's Fiscal Review Committee told lawmakers on Wednesday they can put as much as $27 million toward lottery scholarships next year.

Rob Currey told the Senate Education Committee about $17 to $27 million in excess lottery money will be available to them. The committee will decide on the exact amount before making a proposal to the General Assembly.

33. State to Review OversightOf For-Profit Colleges - Wednesday, August 08, 2007
     Representatives of some for-profit colleges
      in Tennessee have said they welcome the creation of a committee to study oversight of the schools.
     Wendell

34. Lottery Scholarship Bill Fails Before Lawmakers Adjourn - Thursday, June 14, 2007
     A bill that would have changed the rules for keeping a lottery scholarship has failed for the session.
     Lawmakers couldn't agree on the cost of the measure or what standards to change abo

35. State Senate PassesSexual Predator Bill - Thursday, May 10, 2007
     State legislation to keep sexual predators away from schools and other businesses where they could possibly have contact with children was passed by the Tennessee Senate earlier this week. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jam

36. Young and (Not Necessarily) Modern - Tuesday, October 31, 2006

For Neely Woodson Powell, it was the demolition last year of the Eureka Hotel that did it.

The red-brick building at 356 Mulberry St. had a storied history. More than a century old, the Victorian-style hotel was well-known in its day for catering to prominent black musicians during the segregation era. Jazz legend Duke Ellington was reportedly one of its famous guests.

37. Commercial Advisors' Jensen Voted Commercial Broker of the Year - Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Larry Jensen has received the 2005 Pinnacle Award for Commercial Broker of the Year from the Memphis Area Association of Realtors' Commercial Council. Jensen is president and CEO of Commercial Advisors LLC. He has more than 30 years of experience in real estate.