TENNESSEE EDUCATION REPORT
EDUCATION POLITICS AND POLICY IN THE VOLUNTEER STATE
An Unattainable Burden
by Andy Spears / 3d
The current state of Tennessee’s school funding formula (the BEP) places an “unattainable burden” on local school districts, according to Katie Cour of the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF). The Foundation released a policy brief highlighting the shortcomings of the BEP this week. Here’s more from the Tennessean : The Nashville Public Education Foundation is renewing the long-time argu
We Need a Bigger Pie
24by Andy Spears / 3d
The League of Women Voters (LWV) is calling on Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly to take bold action on school funding. The group notes that the state historically underfunds schools and suggests that now is the time to change that reality. In fact, the push from the LWV comes as the state is experiencing an unprecedented revenue surplus . Here’s more from LWV from a media release:
Another $200 Million
40by Andy Spears / 5d
The Tennessee Department of Revenue has released February numbers and it seems our state has nearly $200 million more than was budgeted – in February alone. This continues a trend of the state’s revenue far-exceeding budgeted estimates. Here’s more from the Department’s press release: Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Butch Eley today announced that Tennessee tax rev
Bill Lee vs. Tennessee Schools
by Andy Spears / 5d
Gov. Bill Lee apparently isn’t all that excited about the billions of dollars in money coming into Tennessee by way of the American Rescue Plan. Here’s a recent tweet from Lee expressing his dismay with the proposal that means money in the pockets of many Tennesseans and will send $2.6 billion to our state just for education. Picking blue winners and red losers is hardly uniting America. The Amer
Cancel the Tests
by Andy Spears / 9d
In response to the Biden Administration’s insistence that students will take standardized tests this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of Members of Congress are urging Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to rethink that decision and cancel the tests. Now, the Network for Public