Teacher bonuses, starting pay increase part of HB 6004

‘I have always and will always continue to support public schools,- State Representative Dennis Powers

JACKSBORO, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF)- “Tennessee House Bill (HB) 6004 establishes the Education Freedom Act of 2025 and will allow parents and families to choose the best school for their children based on their particular educational needs,” said State Representative Dennis Powers (TOP PHOTO).  “I am a product of the public schools having graduated from LaFollette High School and later from the University of Tennessee.  My uncle was my principal for two years of my high school and ran for and was elected Superintendent of Schools in Campbell County. My aunt was the librarian at Campbell County High School and I have many more relatives that have taught in public schools.”

I have always and will always continue to support public schools.  Since elected in 2010, we have added more than $3 billion to the annual budget for public schools and this year, we will include a $2,000 bonus for teachers, while raising the starting pay for teachers to $50,000.  However, sometimes a public school may not be the best choice for some students and HB 6004 will allow those students to attend another school and they will not be limited to their income or zip code.”

“I have always supported school choice, whether it is public schools, charter schools, STEM schools, magnet schools, private schools, Christian schools, virtual schools and home schools.  I believe each child is a unique creation of God and the Bible tells us the parent should be the ultimate authority on how the child should be educated.  HB 6004 will allow the parents to have a greater voice in their child’s education.”

“The Education Freedom Act ensures that there is no loss of  The Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) funding for our public schools due to disenrollment.  It will also provide approximately $85 million to be distributed to Local Education Agencies (LEA) across the state for infrastructure improvements.  While I have many great schools in my district, there are almost 150 school districts across the state and not everyone has access to a quality education.  Scholarships provided by the Education Freedom Act will allow parents to choose the best educational pathway for their children while our public schools see no loss in their funding.” (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-02/03/2025-6AM)