Governor Bredesen Discusses "Schools First" Initiative 03/30/2007 Governor Bredesen discussed his “Schools First” education initiative with educators, parents, students, business leaders and elected officials during a town hall meeting on Thursday at the Jackson-Madison County Library. The Governor’s “Schools First” initiative calls for a modest 40-cent increase in the cigarette tax to fund critical – but currently unmet – needs in public education. The revenue generated will be invested directly into classrooms statewide. “We all know how important a quality education is to our children, and everything I’m hearing from local officials is that we need these funds. Educating our children and putting schools first is important work. As long as I’m governor, it will be Tennessee’s No. 1 priority,” said Bredesen. Approximately $219 million in new education money would be generated through Bredesen’s proposal. The largest portion, $120 million, would be used to fulfill the state’s share of funding for systems with large numbers of “at risk” students – freeing up local dollars for investments in other key areas, including advanced placement courses, arts and music, and the like. Another $27 million would be used to address the needs of schools with high student growth, while the remainder would go toward ameliorating the increased cost of higher education for Tennessee families, as well as agriculture and anti-smoking programs. In addition to funding important education needs, the Governor’s “Schools First” plan also focuses on raising standards and expectations for students – particularly in Tennessee’s high schools. Bredesen’s proposal for increased standards is based on three key principles: • Identify the unique strengths and weaknesses of each student through standardized testing in the 8th and 10th grades, with the results serving as the basis for individualized learning plans. • Emphasize the importance of math by requiring four years of mathematics in high school. • Align Tennessee curriculum with the real demands of higher education and the workplace. To do this, the Governor has asked the State School Board and the Department of Education to undertake a top-to-bottom review of Tennessee’s school curriculum. For more information about the “Schools First” initiative, please visit www.tnschoolsfirst.com.