Common Core

Rep. Terry Update: Common Core, TN-Ready & School Choice

February 17, 2016 By Bryan Terry

Murfreesboro, Tenn., February 17, 2016 – We are one month into the 2016 session and a lot has occurred. Education issues have been on the minds of many constituents including students, parents, and teachers. From vouchers to repealing Common Core to over-testing of students to transparency, I have spoken with a multitude of constituents with concerns. This past week, I met with Governor Haslam and we spoke for about an hour on various topics, but mostly over education. I wanted to take the time to give my district some insight into the effort that has been put forth in the Tennessee General Assembly.

Perhaps, the most controversial piece of legislation was the Opportunity Scholarship bill which was otherwise known as vouchers. The bill was supported by Governor Haslam who explained to me his view on the issue was that while vouchers may not be the answer to education, they can be a piece of the puzzle to improve our education outcomes. Ultimately, the sponsor of the bill “laid the bill on the table” on Thursday when he said that he didn’t feel comfortable that he had enough votes to pass the bill. In all likelihood, the bill is dead for this session.

For me, the two week experience leading up to and including the day of the vote was nothing like I had ever experienced. I will say that throughout the process, I have been very disappointed in the actions of some, yet very encouraged by the actions of others. These actions intensified during the final two weeks and hit a crescendo on the day of the vote. When the bill was first introduced last year, I began a process of gathering information to have the most informed vote I could have. I feel confident in saying that those on both sides of the issue that understood my efforts know that I did my best to address the concerns sent to me and I gave my best effort for the district, but in the end, I never had to vote on the issue.

The statewide computer system to administer the student assessment, TNReady, crashed on the day initial testing was to take place. Teachers had voiced their frustrations to me prior to the testing and in fact, reiterated their concerns when I met with the REA in late January. I have been 100% on the side of students, parents, and teachers with their concerns about TNReady and the online platform. In my discussion with Governor Haslam, I reiterated those concerns. Our students, parents, and teachers need to know that their concerns are being delivered to the Capitol. Not only have I been delivering the message verbally, I have filed, as well as co-sponsored, legislation to hopefully address or, at least, voice the concerns.

Last year, the hottest education topic revolved around Common Core. Essentially, three bills were filed in 2015. When I speak of my principles, process, and passion, part of the process involves determining the most feasible option. When one identifies the best option, one must work to improve that option to best meet one’s goal. Only HB1035 by Rep. Billy Spivey was a feasible option to address concerns about Common Core. The other two bills never got out of committee. HB 1035 was an imperfect solution, but it was the best and only viable option to enact change.

Knowing that the bill was imperfect, I developed some amendments to the bill. During my work, I found some like-minded allies in Representatives Matthew Hill, Timothy Hill, and Micah Van Huss. We worked as a coalition in conjunction with Rep. Spivey and presented our concerns to Leadership, the Governor and his staff, as well as Commissioner McQueen. Not all of our concerns were met at the time, but we were able to amend the bill to add legislative confirmation of the ten member committee, as well as get language in the bill that rescinds the Common Core standards when the new standards are complete.

Having a voice from the district in the form of legislative confirmation was an absolute that I needed to address. The ten members have been appointed by Governor Haslam, Lt. Gov. Ramsey, and Speaker Harwell. I have had people reviewing the members, as well as the new standards. We are in the process of developing questions for the confirmation hearings.

During our meetings, we discussed addressing the concerns over Islam in our public schools, as many concerns have cropped up in the state. While we were unable to find a solution last year, we continued to work on the issue. Rep. Matthew Hill has filed HB 1905 that focuses on four areas: transparency, local input, no indoctrination, and constitutionality. I am a prime co-sponsor of the bill. Rep. Sheila Butt filed a bill, that focuses on this issue, as well. I have been in contact with her during the process. We are all working together and plan to coordinate our efforts to address these concerns.

Last year, I co-sponsored HB 1089 by Rep. Kevin Dunlap to address transparency in our standardized testing. The bill would have allowed parents and teachers to see what and how our students were being tested. Parents should have the right to know what is being asked of their children, and teachers should have the right to know specifics on their evaluations. The bill ultimately received a 17 million dollar fiscal note due to copyright issues, thus it failed.

Following the 2015 end of year testing, I received several complaints from concerned citizens over what many believe to be biased questioning towards Islam, as well as concerns from teachers over a lack of transparency. I knew that parents and teachers were unable to view the test, so I made an effort to see if I, as a State Representative, could view the test, and I was denied. It is very concerning, that if I am elected to speak on behalf of constituents including teachers, that I am unable to obtain necessary information to best find solutions. I am talking with Rep. Dunlap and Rep. Byrd, and we hope to be able to find a method of addressing this issue.

Knowledge is part of the foundation for the future of our students, and our parents and teachers deserve to be in the best position for the nurturing and growth of students. I will continue to work hard on these issues as representative for District 48.

Follow Dr. Terry on Facebook and Twitter.

DR. TERRY: Updates On Gas Tax, Education, Planned Parenthood, Refugees & More

December 8, 2015 By Admin

MURFREESBORO, Tenn., Dec. 8, 2015– This fall has been packed with many interesting issues and news for District 48. From Governor Haslam’s Transportation Listening Tour to the District 48 art contest, there has been a voluminous amount of information that our district should know. While this update is by no means a complete narrative of all the issues and events, I hope that it provides some insight into what has transpired over the past few months.

ISSUES

Transportation: Nothing insofar as a gas tax increase has been proposed. TDOT has not yet supplied me with a long term projection of their budget. Been working with others to restore funding to TDOT from the general fund, as well as require TDOT to prioritize their projects before any vote on any funding changes takes place. I stand by my previous statement in that I don’t see a simple gas tax increase being successful in 2016.
Education: There have been a lot of concerns about 7th grade standards involving Islamo-centric materials. A bill has been proposed by Rep. Butt that may address part of the issue. I’ve been working with Rep. Butt and other Reps on a solution to this issue and it may require amending Rep. Butt’s bill or filing another bill. Education standards review is underway. Please, participate. My team and others have reviewed the standards committee members set forth from HB1035 and are still gathering information for confirmation in 2016. Testing has been a big issue with teachers and students. I have spoken with teachers, parents, students, and other representatives and am looking for answers and solutions. Transparency is a huge issue.
Planned Parenthood: Worked with Chairman Sexton and sent a formal letter of inquiry to Planned Parenthood. They confirmed receiving state money through TennCare, but not for abortions. They denied selling aborted parts for profit nor claimed to be violating any laws. I’m working with others and have been in frequent contact with the Governor’s office on this issue.
Refugee Resettlement: This is a big issue right now that will require state and federal input. The Attorney General, at the behest of three Democrat legislators, offered an opinion that Tennessee cannot halt the influx of refugees. Governor Haslam has asked for notification from the Federal program and more involvement from the state level. He has asked for a pause in the Federal program. The Feds should halt the influx of any potential risky refugees to our country and states should have control of who gets relocated within their borders. This is a 10th Amendment issue. However, as an open state border society, it is difficult to stop anyone from coming to Tennessee through another state. A process should be in place where Tennessee can keep track of refugees assigned to our state.
In-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants: This bill came up last session and I voted against it. I don’t see that bill passing especially with the Federal Courts essentially proclaiming DACA(Obama amnesty) unconstitutional.
Budget: We continue to see a surplus well above and beyond budget projections. We need to look at our underfunded Rainy Day fund, cutting taxes, or using the funds when looking at our Transportation funding mechanism. Know that Education and Health budgets(as well as others) must be reviewed. The prudent thing is to place the funds in our Rainy day fund while we continue to evaluate budgetary needs versus mandated growth.
Bilateral Session: We are putting in a session where federal and state level officials meet to discuss the needs of Tennesseans. This is BIG NEWS if we can accomplish this endeavor.
Insure Tennessee: Governor Haslam stated that he doesn’t see Insure Tennessee passing in 2016. Neither do I.
Bills: I have a slate of bills that I have been working on. I am meeting with other Reps and discussing the bills before I look to file them.

DISTRICT NEWS

District 48 High School Art Contest on January 9 will be held at Patterson Park. Guest jurors include local artist Norris Hall and reporter Scott Broden amongst others.
Governor Haslam was a guest at an event for Portico and their Mobile Ultrasound Unit.
Spoke with MTSU Republicans at a legislative forum on MTSU’s campus.
Spoke to Central Magnet School students and am partnering with them on an issue.
First ever Providers and Politics Event to bring awareness of legislation to health care providers in Rutherford County was held at Reeves-Sain Pharmacy.
Held the first ever Pigs and Politics at Slick Pig to help provide information to the community.
TEAM TERRY has been reassembled and added to for the upcoming campaign. If you would like to join, please, contact us at BryanTerry4TN@gmail.com

I believe in keeping constituents informed. This update is just a brief description of various issues or events that have occurred and not an in depth analysis of all the issues and my opinions. Please, contact me or my office for more information.

Follow Dr. Terry on Facebook and Twitter.

Rep. Terry And Congressman Scott DesJarlais Discuss Obamacare, Planned Parenthood, Common Core and More

September 10, 2015 By Admin

MURFREESBORO, September 10, 2015– On September 17, the Republican Caucus will meet with several items on the agenda. One item of note is something called a Bilateral Session. The Bilateral Session is a joint session involving the meeting of both the Tennessee General Assembly and our federally elected congressman and senators. State Representative Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) has been spearheading this enterprise over the past few years without much success. I am told there has been some push-back from some of our federal officials. He is, once again, working towards organizing a Bilateral Session and I am in complete support.

As is evident by the recent presidential polling, there is an “Us versus Them” mentality with “Us” being “we the people” and them being Washington politicians, the elitists, and the media. A real and perceived disconnect between Washington and the people exists. As state representatives, we have the smallest districts, and have elections every two years. With that in mind, we should always have the pulse of the district on our minds, and as elected officials, we should be close and as accessible as possible to the public we represent.

Knowing this, it is with great enthusiasm that District 48 and Rutherford County should know that the Rutherford County State Representative delegation recently met with Congressman Scott DesJarlais and Rep. Judd Matheny. The meeting was organized by Tina Jones, the Rutherford County Field Rep. for Congressman DesJarlais with the purpose and intent of discussing issues in our districts and bridging the gap between Washington and Tennessee. One could consider it a mini Bilateral Session. While I cannot speak for the other representatives, the working relationship between the offices of Congressional District 4 and State House District 48 provides a positive environment for the betterment of our constituents.

At the meeting, various topics were discussed. Front and center of the discussion was States’ rights and the need for a Bilateral Session. Federal regulations and having strings tied to federal funds have hampered Tennessee’s ability to most effectively serve our citizens. An example is transportation funding with funds going towards items other than roads. Transportation funding and the problems posed by the federal government, as well as, the regional impact of any taxes were discussed. Dr. DesJarlais was supportive of the Bilateral Session and has been supportive of it in the past.

We discussed overreach of the EPA and how it impacts our rural districts. Supporting our farmers was a high priority of everyone at the table. From an education standpoint, we discussed the need for more state control. Although we passed HB1035 to review, replace, and rescind our previous Common Core standards, the bill had its limitations due to Federal funds tied to President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act. Several presidential candidates are willing to repeal the NCLB Act while others are in full support. If one support States’ rights and more control of our education system, it would be in one’s best interest to research where presidential candidates stand on this issue.

Healthcare, including the Vereran’s Affair’s System, Obamacare, and rising insurance costs were also discussed. Of particular note is a provision in Obamacare called the Independent Payment Advisory Board. For those that may not remember, the IPAB has been referred to as the “Death Panel”. It is an appointed committee that will oversee how our health care dollars will be rationed toward patient care. Congressman Phil Roe, MD of Tennessee has unsuccessfully tried to repeal this portion of Obamacare for years. As Congressman Roe said, IPAB has “unprecedented, dangerous authority to cut Medicare pay rates and strangle access to care.” Dr. DesJarlais has been a co-sponsor of the bill, and I am in full support.

Planned Parenthood, Kim Davis, the University of Tennessee’s gender neutral pronoun issue, Hillary’s problems, and the overall negative impact of the liberal agenda were, also topics of discussion. Other topics came up, as well. In all, the meeting was a free flow of topics and ideas. It was a very positive meeting, and my constituents should know that their voices are being heard in Nashville and in Washington.

As always, I am honored and humbled to serve as the State Representative of District 48. My office can be reached at (615) 741-2180.

Follow Dr. Terry on Facebook and Twitter.

Rep. Terry: End Of Summer Common Core Update

August 26, 2015 By Admin

MURFREESBORO, August 26, 2015– This past session, HB1035 from Rep. Billy Spivey was the bill to review and replace Common Core with Tennessee specific standards. It set forth a process for review of our current educational standards by parents, educators, and constituents, as well as allowing input into the new standards. The new suggested standards will be drafted by a ten member committee comprised of ten appointments by Governor Haslam, Lt. Governor Ramsey and Speaker Harwell.

During the bill drafting process, I had concerns that the bill did not specifically call for the removal of our Common Core standards, nor did the General Assembly have any oversight over the appointees. I worked with Rep. Spivey and the administration to draft an amendment that clarified the legislative intent of the bill was for Tennessee to rescind our Common Core standards when we have adopted the new standards. In addition, the amendment called for the legislature to have confirmation powers over the committee appointments. You can review the appointments HERE.

With these changes, the bill now clarifies that the intent of the legislation is to replace Common Core with our own Tennessee standards and Tennessee State Representatives and Senators are now held accountable for the confirmation of the committee members responsible for the new standards.

It is important to note that schools will be using the same standards as last year until the new ones are adopted, which will take a maximum of two school years.

Please know that I have fought hard to ensure Common Core is a thing of the past in Tennessee. In addition, please let me know if you have any concerns with any of the appointments. I currently have people reviewing the committee, but any input will be welcomed.

Follow Dr. Terry on Facebook and Twitter.

Rep. Terry: Common Core Update

August 4, 2015 By Admin

MURFREESBORO, Tenn., August 4, 2015– As a new school year begins, I wanted to give you all a Common Core update. HB 1035 by Rep. Billy Spivey was the bill (now law) to put in place a process to replace Common Core. This law calls for a Standards Recommendation Committee of 10 individuals.

I worked closely with Rep. Spivey to have an amendment placed on the bill that ensured the legislative intent was indeed to rescind Common Core, as well as, give the General Assembly confirmation authority over the committee appointments. The amendment was added to the bill and passed the House unanimously.

Yesterday, Governor Haslam has announced his four appointments to the committee. Without the amendment I worked to pass, the legislature would have no say in who was appointed to the committee. Thanks to the amendment, we are now accountable to those who elected us to ensure these committee members have our interests in mind. District 48 should know that I already have people reviewing the qualifications of the four individuals, and am preparing for our duty and responsibility of oversight of these appointments.

The four members appointed by the governor are:

-Dr. Sharen Cypress, dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Freed-Hardeman University.

-Tracy Franklin, principal at Steekee Elementary School in Loudon County.

-Amy Gullion, K-5 instructional coach at Smyrna Elementary School in Rutherford County.

-Doug Hungate, academic director at Cheatham County Central High School.

Follow Dr. Terry on Facebook and Twitter.

Rep. Terry: Abortion, Second Amendment, Obamacare, Common Core, Economy

April 24, 2015 By Admin

MURFREESBORO, Tenn., April 24, 2015– The 2015 legislative session has concluded. As a freshman legislator, it has been an educational and very successful session for District 48. From an educational standpoint, understanding the process while navigating the politics of 132 members of the General Assembly, the Executive Branch, and most importantly constituents has been an invaluable learning experience.

My constituents should know that I navigated those waters to the best of my abilities and I shared in many of their frustrations and disappointments with some of the legislation and politics that took place.

With that being said, I believe the 2015 legislative session was an overall success for District 48 and Tennessee. On the campaign trail, I promoted my agenda of CODE BLUE 2. Without a doubt, I was able to uphold the tenets of my agenda. Below are but some of the highlights of my fight to uphold CODE BLUE 2.

CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT: I introduced a bill and worked successfully with a constituent to have the Tennessee Department of Education and the Textbook Commission adopt citizen friendly changes to their rules. I worked with high school and MTSU students to sponsor and pass two bills. Also, I worked with citizens to pass several House Joint Resolutions. I also started SHARE Rutherford to highlight citizens that bring Safety, Health, Affordability, Recreation, and Education to Rutherford County.

OBAMACARE: I opposed Insure Tennessee, as it fast tracked Obamacare, risked our current TennCare patients and system, and violated the Oath of Office.

SUPPORTING HEALTHCARE: I supported positive health care changes for patients including being the lead sponsor for “Mission Tennessee for Veterans Program” and a healthcare provider credentialing bill to improve patient access while decreasing costs. I co-sponsored and supported the “Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act”, the “Right to Try Act”, and the “Ensuring Patient Access to Pharmacy Drug Disposal Programs Act of 2015” among other pro-patient legislation.

DEBT: I voted for a balanced budget, while fighting to decrease wasteful spending, cut taxes, and improve transparency. I also fought against the unnecessary spending of 120 Million in the budget and instead applying the funds towards TDOT and the underfunded “Rainy Day Fund”. I was one of only two House members to sponsor HB418 to increase transparency in Tennessee tax collections which has been signed into law.

ECONOMY: I co-sponsored HB76 for economic and community development. I advocated for HB813 which would phase out the Hall Income Tax and bring back over 3.5 Million dollars a year to Rutherford County and Murfreesboro. I also co-sponsored HB467 which would bring airplane maintenance jobs to Tennessee by removing barriers and creating job incentives for the airline industry. I also co-sponsored legislation to enact a sponsorship program to raise money for highways while promoting tourism.

BACKGROUND: I have a diverse background much like District 48. As such, I supported and voted for a variety of bills that reflected and promoted District 48 including HB716 and HB718 which support our farming, HB757 which supports local small businesses, HB70 which protects workers, and HB20 which added protections for our firemen and first responders.

LIBERTY AND VALUES: I co-sponsored the Racial Profiling Prevention Act, the Tennessee Animal Abuser Registration Act and the Criminal Justice Veterans Compensation Act. I advocated for liberty by co-sponsoring bills that put restrictions on drones, unconstitutional unmanned traffic cameras, and illegal civil forfeiture. I also co-sponsored anti-terrorism and anti-sex trafficking legislation, as well.

STANDING FOR THE UNBORN: I was a sponsor on HB948 and HB977 which restored protections to women and the unborn after Amendment 1 passed last November. I was also the leading medical voice for women and the unborn at the Capitol and spoke on behalf of both on the House floor during the debate. I sponsored HR 57 to recognize the Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, as well as, the various departments for their service to the unborn for intrauterine surgery for Spina Bifida.

EDUCATION: I successfully fought to repeal Common Core by adding amendments to HB1035 and voted to replace Common Core with Tennessee specific standards. I also supported pay raises for teachers and advocated for our teachers’ point of view. I also supported HB429, HB670, and HB1089 which protects teachers, parents and most importantly students.

SECOND AMENDMENT: I sponsored and voted for a multitude of pro-2nd Amendment legislation including HB682, HB683, HB684, HB1255, and HB1341.

As always, I am humbled and honored to be your state representative.

With Liberty,

Dr. Bryan Terry

Follow Dr. Terry on Facebook and Twitter.

Rep. Terry: Common Core Repealed

April 21, 2015 By Admin

NASHVILLE, April 21, 2015– Yesterday, in a bipartisan vote, the Tennessee House of Representatives voted unanimously (97:0) to repeal Common Core. Today, the Tennessee State Senate followed with a (27:1) vote in favor of repeal.

For far too long the federal government has been usurping powers that belong to the State of Tennessee. This legislation makes it clear that the federal government has absolutely no role in the education of Tennessee students. The 10th Amendment was written for a reason, and it must be revived.

Both Democrats and Republicans in our district are strongly against Common Core and I am proud to have had the opportunity to amend this legislation in order to ensure that the intent was indeed to completely rescind Common Core from the State of Tennessee, as well as, give the General Assembly confirmation authority on committee appointments. Tennessee families, teachers and legislators will now be able to create their own standards, and for that I am thankful.

As always, I am humbled and honored to be your state representative.

With Liberty,

Dr. Bryan Terry

Follow Dr. Terry on Facebook and Twitter.

Rep. Terry: Updates On Common Core, Policing For Profit, And More

March 20, 2015 By Admin

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. March 20, 2015–

Common Core

House Bill 1035 advanced out of the Education Instruction & Programs Subcommittee this week and will now move on to the full Committee, where it is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, March 24. The legislation establishes a process by which the state will formally replace the controversial Common Core education standards with a new set of standards crafted solely by Tennesseans.

As amended, the bill specifies that Tennessee is fully in charge of creating its own educational standards and ensures that none will be imposed on the state by the federal government in the future. The bill establishes a Standards Recommendation Committee that will be comprised of ten members, with four appointed by the Governor, three appointed by the Speaker of the Senate, and three appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. In addition, the legislation requires the State Board of Education to cancel the “Memorandum of Understanding” that had previously been agreed upon concerning Common Core State Standards.

(This Week’s Video Update)

Throughout the process of crafting these new education standards, House Bill 1035 provides multiple opportunities for public input and stresses transparency. Ultimately, the legislation will fully remove Tennessee from federal Common Core Standard guidelines while empowering Tennessee education professionals to craft new standards of educational excellence without undue influence from outside the state.

Do note that Common Core standards will not automatically disappear, as the new standards still have to be created, and this will take time. I still have some concerns about some of the wording in the bill, but I will keep you updated as things progress.

Policing For Profit

This week, the House Civil Justice Subcommittee heard testimony regarding House Bill 284, which deals with the issue of policing for profit in Tennessee. However, the legislation was taken off notice after an agreement was made with key law enforcement agencies to correct the problem internally.

As introduced, the bill requires law enforcement agencies to pay for the cost of returning a vehicle back to its original condition if it is dismantled, damaged, or altered during a search and seizure operation. This requirement would only apply if the driver or passengers are not charged with a criminal offense and nothing is seized, the forfeiture warrant is denied, or if the agency does not meet its burden of proof at the forfeiture hearing.

Proponents of the legislation note that Tennessee has experienced a serious problem over the years with certain law enforcement agencies policing for profit. This has resulted in many law abiding citizens being targeted for no reason and their personal property damaged and cash being seized.

The agreement negotiated before the bill was taken off notice involved numerous meetings with the Tennessee Department of Safety, the Tennessee Sheriff’s Association, the Tennessee Police Chief’s Association, and the Peace Officers Standards & Training Commission. Following several weeks of negotiations, all stakeholders involved agreed it made sense to develop a training curriculum to effectively deal with the problem internally, as opposed to creating a new state law.

The bill’s sponsors noted, however, they would not hesitate to take legislative action if the agreement does not move forward in the coming days.

Ag Day On The Hill

Ag Day at the Capitol is March 25, 2015.

Did you know that Tennessee has 76,000 farms representing 10.8 million acres in production. More than half of the state, 14 million acres, is in mostly privately owned hardwood forests? Tennessee’s top agricultural commodities include cattle, soybeans, corn, poultry, cotton, timber, greenhouse and nursery products, dairy products, wheat, tobacco, and hay. The industry has a $66 billion a year impact on the state’s economy and supports nearly 337,900 jobs.

Follow Dr. Terry on Facebook and Twitter.