State Rep. Kirk Haston, R-Lobelville, has been reappointed by House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, to serve as chairman of the House K-12 Subcommittee for the 114th General Assembly.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – State Rep. Kirk Haston, R-Lobelville, has been reappointed by House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, to serve as chairman of the House K-12 Subcommittee for the 114th General Assembly.
Haston has worked in Perry County Schools for 18 years, and currently serves as the School Health Coordinator. He has been involved in the community through Southwest Human Resource Agency (SHRA) and Perry County Health Council. At home, he is a devoted husband and father to three children.
“Primary and secondary education lay the foundation for our future leaders, and it’s essential we continue to invest in them to ensure every student has access to a quality education,” Haston said. “It is a great honor to chair the K-12 Subcommittee for another term, and I’m grateful to Speaker Sexton for his continued trust in my leadership.”
The eight-member subcommittee is an arm of the House Education Committee and address all legislation relevant to the state’s primary and secondary school systems.
“As chairman of the K-12 Subcommittee, Kirk’s leadership and educational background will be vital in advancing policies that enhance education and support our students statewide,” Sexton said. “Representative Haston is a dedicated advocate for Tennessee students and educators.”
Haston has championed key legislation during his tenure that has directly benefited students, including the creation of a career readiness exam option in place of the ACT or SAT for those entering the workforce. He was instrumental in the passing of the Tennessee Literacy Success Act, ensuring all children are taught to read through a phonics-based foundational literacy approach. Top of Form
In 2020, Haston spearheaded the Holly Bobo Act, which expanded Tennessee’s Endangered Child Alerts to include adults under the age of 21. Holly, a 20-year-old from Henderson County, was abducted from her home but was too old for state or national notifications like an AMBER Alert.
He also advocated to establish a veterans honor guard grant program, which helps organizations provide military funeral honors for qualifying Tennessee veterans.
This will be Haston’s third term as K-12 Subcommittee chair and fourth term on the committee. He served as the vice-chairman of the Education Committee during the 111th General Assembly. He was first elected to the State House in 2018.
Along with his chairmanship, he will also serve on the Education Committee, Commerce Committee and Higher Education Subcommittee.
Kirk Haston represents District 72 which includes Chester, Decatur, Perry and parts of Hardin and Henderson Counties.