The 112th General Assembly adjourns sine die

Republicans pass education, ethics reform, provide tax cuts for every Tennessean in final week - The 112th General Assembly adjourned sine die on April 28, concluding a successful legislative session highlighted by passage of major reforms to the state’s education funding formula known as the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Act.

The 2022 legislative session began in January with the Republican supermajority refocused on Tennessee’s pre-pandemic priorities following two back-to-back special sessions in October. Republicans prioritized K-12 and higher education this year, making historic investments that will provide Tennessee students with a transformative, world-class education.

The new funding model replaces the current Basic Education Program (BEP) and prioritizes the individual needs of students rather than relying on ratio components and district averages. The TISA plan puts direct focus on students with disabilities, students in rural and urban areas and low-income families. Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, the TISA will invest $9 billion in education funding for the state, including state and local funds, which will include an additional recurring state investment of $1 billion for K-12 funding.

Every Tennessee school district will receive more funding with the new plan, with the exact increases depending on the student population being served. The TISA is a four-tiered funding formula made of the following components to determine the amount of funding a district will receive: base funding, weights, direct funding and outcomes funding.

The first tier, base funding, covers basic education needs. Each student will receive a base per-pupil funding of $6,680. Districts with higher-need students will receive larger funding increases based on weights, the second tier of the formula. TISA weights include the following:

Economically disadvantaged (25%) and concentration of poverty (5%)

Sparse districts (5%) and small districts (5%)

Unique learning needs - special education/gifted, English learners, dyslexia (15%-150%)

The direct funding component provides additional dollars for high-impact programs such as K-3 literacy efforts, Career and Technical Education courses, and public charter school students. The fourth tier is the outcomes funding which will be allocated as an incentive for producing strong student outcomes.

As amended, the TISA Act creates a Literacy Goals and Progress Review Board which aims to ensure students in each school district achieve proficiency in the English Language Arts portion of the 3rd grade TCAP test. The review board will consist of: the commissioner of education, executive director of the state board, two members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor and two members appointed by the House Speaker. If at the end of three years the board determines that a local school district has not met their established goal to achieve 70 percent proficiency, then they will determine if further action is necessary. The board may recommend to the commissioner of education to require the LEA to complete additional professional development training on how to budget to increase student achievement.

Among some of the investments in education, Tennessee will spend $500 million to expand Career and Technical Education in 759 middle and high schools across the state. The General Assembly provided $125 million to increase teacher salaries and $25.5 million for summer reading camps. Lawmakers provided $90 million to ensure state colleges and universities do not raise tuition fees this year and increased Tennessee HOPE Scholarship awards, which have not been increased since 2008. Coupled with no tuition increases at our state universities, Tennessee students will find it less financially stressful to access secondary education options.

As always, I am truly humbled and honored to be your voice on Capitol Hill. If there is ever any issue I can assist with, please reach out to my office by calling 615-741-2190 or emailing me at [email protected]