Tennessee Archives - Early Learning Nation

Tennessee on Track to Become First in Nation to Offer Diaper Benefit to Medicaid Families

Good, Say Medicaid Expansion Advocates, But More Work Is Needed

K.C. Compton·Jun 1, 2023·4 min read

Some of Tennessee’s most vulnerable families could soon get relief from the high cost of diapers, as the state works...

Demetrus Coonrod: The Inspirational Path from Prison to City Council

The Editors·Mar 30, 2022·6 min read

Demetrus Coonrod’s path to Chattanooga’s City Council had obstacles, including time in prison. But her personal journal also serves as a guiding path for others, showing the power of resilience, belief in oneself and education.

The Wheels on the Bus: Save the Children’s Mobile Education and Nutrition Units

Mark Swartz·Mar 17, 2022·6 min read

The ice cream truck, that American institution, is brilliant in its simplicity. Rather than waiting for kids to show up...

The Tennessee Pre-K Study Debate: Proof or Outlier?

Bryce Covert·Feb 22, 2022·7 min read

Does putting young children in a preschool setting harm them? Opponents of publicly funded child care and early education have...

5 Questions for the Governor: Tennessee’s Bill Lee

The Editors·May 4, 2021·3 min read

Literacy is a top priority because we know that so much of our success in K-12 hinges on building better readers. In the past, we’ve had an environment of “too little, too late” when it comes to helping kids before they pass the third grade, which is recognized as a milestone for reading development.

The Rise of the Rural Library Network: A New Resource for Some of Our Favorite People (Librarians and Children)

Mark Swartz·Apr 27, 2021·4 min read

In the past few decades, public libraries have undergone a quiet transformation from sleepy repositories of books to full-fledged community...

For Want of a Diaper, Families Are Getting Lost: No Diapers. No Day Care. No Job.

K.C. Compton·Apr 20, 2021·7 min read

This may be one of the saddest facts you read in a while: One in three moms in the U.S....