Democrats announce education legislation to reform state’s broken school funding formula
Lawmakers aim to improve Tennessee’s 46th in the nation rank for student funding
NASHVILLE — Public schools would see a significant investment in student funding under a slate of Democratic education bills.
The measures, if approved, would boost the state’s share of teacher salaries, reduce class sizes in high-need elementary schools, increase the number of specialists to work with struggling students, and add more counselors, social workers and nurses in every school district.
Democrats are pushing this education package to address chronic underfunding at schools. According to research compiled by the National Education Association, Tennessee ranks 46th in the nation for funding per student.
The primary reason Tennessee students get shortchanged, Democrats say, is due to the state’s broken school funding formula, known as the Basic Education Program or BEP. The formula calculates funding for teachers, administration and support staff based on the number of students in each district.
But the formula is not keeping pace with the investments that most school districts are making to deliver a “basic education” to every student and, in numerous school systems, the formula doesn’t account for teaching positions required by state law.
In fact, the state’s BEP Review Committee, a nonpartisan panel tasked with identifying inadequacies in the formula, proposed several of the changes Democrats are championing this session.
Bill Summary:
Sen. Raumesh Akbari / Rep. Karen Camper
Increase state’s share of teacher salaries. Currently, the BEP formula requires the state to fund 70 percent of every teaching position created by formula in the instructional category. As introduced this bill would increase the state’s share of instructional salaries from 70 to 75 percent.
SB376 by Sen. Heidi Campbell / HB1000 by Rep. Harold Love, Jr.
Reduced class sizes for high-need elementary schools. As introduced, reduces from 25 to 20, and from 20 to 15, respectively, the maximum class size and the average grade level unit classroom size for grades kindergarten through three in a school where 50% of third graders are not reading at grade level.
SB371 by Sen. Campbell / HB1001 by Rep. Love
Adding counselors. As introduced, requires the BEP formula to fund full-time school counselor positions at a ratio of one per 250 students
SB1100 by Sen. Katrina Robinson / HB1291 by Rep. Gloria Johnson
Adding social workers. As introduced, funds school social worker positions through the BEP at a ratio of one for each 250 or fewer students.
SB378 by Sen. Campbell / HB1331 by Rep. Torrey Harris
Increase the number of nurses. As introduced, increases the number of BEP funded full-time public school nurse positions from one per 3,000 students to one per 750 students.
SB370 by Sen. Campbell / HB840 by Rep. Yusuf Hakeem
Increases the number of intervention specialists. As introduced, requires the BEP formula to fund one full-time response to instruction and intervention (RTI²) position per 1,000 students.
SB1058 by Sen. Campbell / HB 438 by Rep. Harris
Special education funding. As introduced, directs the department to develop and administer a system of grants to LEAs to supplement funding LEAs receive through the BEP for special education.
SB808 by Sen. Jeff Yarbro / Rep. Camper
Comprehensive BEP reform. As introduced, enacts the Adequate Funding Program for Education. This bill compiles several of the aforementioned provisions and reduces the pressure on local governments to fund basic education programming.
