U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon traveled to Tennessee on Wednesday as part of her “Returning Education to the States” 50-state tour.
McMahon visited Grand Oaks Elementary School in Clinton and the University of Tennessee (UT) in Knoxville during her stop in Tennessee this week where she met with local officials and education leaders.
At Grand Oaks Elementary, McMahon participated in a roundtable discussion where she met with teachers, district administrators, local leaders, and parents about the transition from federal to state oversight in education.
Spent the morning in Tennessee at @GOESeagles to learn about the Volunteer State’s emphasis on early literacy development! pic.twitter.com/1RVzALh681
— Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) August 13, 2025
McMahon also toured classrooms at Grand Oaks Elementary, met with the school’s teachers and students, and read aloud to students in the library.
“We are so grateful to the many national, state, district, and local leaders, elected officials, community partners, and parents who joined us for a meaningful roundtable discussion about education and the needs of our students. Your voices and perspectives made this conversation richer and more impactful,” Grand Oaks Elementary wrote in a Facebook post following McMahon’s visit.
“We are proud to have been chosen as a starting point for this nationwide journey and honored to showcase the incredible work happening at Grand Oaks with leaders from across the country and state,” the school added.
At UT-Knoxville, McMahon toured the campus and met with UT President Randy Boyd, UT Chancellor Donde Plowman, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02), and others to learn about the Tennessee Reading Research Center – created by the Tennessee Department of Education and UT System in 2022 – and other literacy programs.
It was great to see @EDSecMcMahon in Knoxville today! Secretary McMahon is visiting with educators in all 50 states to gather input and ideas as the DOE prepares to return authority over education back to the states, where it always belonged. pic.twitter.com/TfVDULIE7E
— Glenn Jacobs (@GlennJacobsTN) August 13, 2025
“Tennessee is setting a powerful example in education by making bold investments in early literacy. Partnerships with institutions like the University of Tennessee are helping to deepen the impact – strengthening teacher preparation, advancing research-based initiatives, and ensuring families and educators have the tools they need to help every child succeed,” McMahon said in a statement.
McMahon’s visit to Tennessee was the third stop on her 50-state tour to learn about education models that are “accelerating learning outcomes and are meeting the needs of families and local communities.”
“It was a pleasure to continue my Returning Education to the States tour in the Volunteer State and see the good work they are doing firsthand,” she said.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Education Secretary Linda McMahon” by Ed. Sec. Linda McMahon.
