After months of strong engagement and conversations about public education funding in Tennessee and years of consistent feedback, the Tennessee Department of Education released an initial draft overview of a potential student-based funding formula, informed by input of thousands of Tennesseans – parents, educators, superintendents, elected officials, business and community leaders, and citizens from across the state – and is encouraging all Tennesseans to send feedback on this draft framework by an extended deadline of Tuesday, January 18 at 1:00 PM EST. Comments should be sent to tnedu.funding@tn.gov.
As part of a robust public review and engagement process, Tennesseans from around the state have submitted public comments that are being shared with 18 subcommittees to help inform potential recommendations for a new funding formula. Any proposed new funding formula would prioritize strategic investments in students, transparent reporting and accountability, and student-centered decisions.
The draft framework for a new student-based funding formula would include funding for all services and supports for K-12 public schools that are currently funded in the existing formula. The draft framework for public review and comment also reflects the following feedback from stakeholders:
*Base: Educator salaries, RTI2 support, counselors and school-based supports, district-specific needs, technology, nurses, coordinated school health
*Weights: Poverty and concentrated poverty, rural, unique learning needs (special education English learner, gifted, dyslexia), and charter schools
*Direct Funding: Fast growing districts, tutoring for 4th grade, career and technical education (CTE)
*Outcomes: Literacy, ReadyGrad indicators with outcomes, CTE completers, WBL and apprenticeships, JROTC, FAFSA completion