Tennessee officials introduce new education funding formula

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — State officials are proposing a new education funding formula.

Both Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn introduced the new steps on Thursday.

“Our approach is about funding students’ unique needs and that funding will follow the student to his or her public school,” Lee said. “I believe we have the capability, the resources and most importantly the desire to not let this become a multi-year project that turns into another 30-year, outdated formula. The time is now.”

The Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement, or TISA, would send funds to school districts based on the needs of its students.

The state says this includes a “base,” “weighted,” “direct” and “outcomes” funding.

“Tennessee now has an opportunity to propose an entirely new way in how we fund public education to help drive positive outcomes for students,” Schwinn said. “We encourage Tennesseans to review the language that will be released later this month as we take bold action to reshape our public school funding formula to best support the future of our students and our state.”

You can read more about the new formula here.

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