by Jon Styf
As Sen. Jon Lundberg began Wednesday’s Senate Education Committee meeting, he joked the committee would not be getting to all 121 bills on the calendar.
That included the first thing on the body’s regular calendar: the new public school funding formula dubbed the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA).
Lundberg did, however, note that the bill will be a priority next week.
“We are going to roll that to next week, when I anticipate that will be the first piece of legislation we have,” said Lundberg, R-Bristol. “Not only members of the Senate, but members of this committee have dug into that issue pretty substantially. I ask that, if you have any amendments, that you get those to my office as soon as possible.”
While some lawmakers have questioned whether the public school funding overhaul is being rushed through the process, the companion bills were delayed in the Senate Education Committee and House K-12 Subcommittee this week.
There was, however, two hours of presentation on the bill and discussion Monday in the Senate Education Committee before the bill was removed from what ended up being a four-hour Wednesday meeting of the committee.
“Lt. Governor McNally was encouraged by the Senate Education Committee hearing on TISA earlier this week and, as well, the conversations that continue to happen among members, their constituents and their LEAs,” said Adam Kleinheider, spokesperson for McNally. “He has predicted it will pass this year and will continue to give the Education and Finance committees ample time to dissect the proposal, get necessary feedback and make adjustments, if necessary.”
One thing noted by Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, in Monday’s Senate Education Committee meeting was the need for school districts to get directions on the specifics on the new funding formula and its requirements as soon as possible.
Commissioner Penny Schwinn said in response the process to create emergency rules and then permanent rules related to the formula would begin immediately.
Schwinn answered questions about the $6,860 base funding per student for the 2023-24 school year, which accounts for $6.6 billion of the $9 billion in overall proposed funding.
An additional $1.8 billion is allocated to weights, which are awarded for everything from special learning needs to living in an area of poverty or a rural setting.
While the details are discussed and some are amended, there is optimism TISA will be passed this legislative session.
“A new funding formula is a big challenge in any year,” House Speaker Cameron Sexton said. “We have ample time to work on it this session and to get it in proper form for a vote before we adjourn. Since it wouldn’t take effect until the 2023-2024 school year, we will be able to continue meeting with stakeholders throughout the year; if any changes are needed, we can do that when we return in January.”
Some Democrats, however, disagree. They would like to get the changes made before the bill is passed even if they agree the former funding formula, the Basic Education Program (BEP), needs to be fixed.
“Why are we rushing this?” Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, said. “This is too important. There is nothing more important than the public education system and how we fund it.”
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Jon Styf is an award-winning editor and reporter who has worked in Illinois, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida and Michigan in local newsrooms over the past 20 years, working for Shaw Media, Hearst and several other companies.
