Watch now: Tennessee education officials release 'explainer' resources for new funding plan

NASHVILLE — Want to know more about the first change in the Volunteer State's education funding formula in more than 30 years?The Tennessee Department of Education has released additional Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) resources.The "explainer" information describes how the proposed student-based public school funding plan would work.ONE-TIME $9 BILLION, RECURRING $1 BILLION PART OF TISA PLANIf the General Assembly approves the proposal as is, starting in the 2023-24 school year, TISA would invest an estimated $9 billion in education funding, including state and local money, which would include an additional recurring state investment of $1 billion.TISA is designed to empower each student to read proficiently by third grade, prepare each high school graduate for postsecondary success and provide resources needed to all students to ensure they succeed."The Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement would put the funding focus on students and give Tennesseans clear information to understand how districts and schools are using funding to help our students succeed," Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn said in a news release.Gov. Bill Lee, in a visit to Kingsport on Feb. 28, said the plan he's pushing got lots of input from educators, parents and the general public, and he is hopeful the General Assembly will approve it this session.Sullivan County Director of Schools Evelyn Rafalowski on March 3 told the county Board of Education that the proposal was certain to be altered as it makes its way through the General Assembly.Information about TISA available online at FundingforStudentSuccess.org. includes:• What is student-based funding?: An animated video gives an overview of a student-based formula and how it would serve Tennessee students.• Subcommittee recommendations: This presentation provides a snapshot of recommendations collected from each of the 18 subcommittees during the statewide engagement process.• Base funding: This overview explains how and why student-based funding starts with a base amount for each student.• Funding weights: This overview explains how students' individual education needs are supported through funding weights.• Direct funding: This overview explains how direct funding goes toward specific programs.LOCAL FEEDBACKSome caveats, according to Sullivan County school board member Matthew Spivey of Kingsport, are that the state requires localities to fund part of the per- student amount and that current and future charter schools benefit from the proposal.Among other things, Spivey said charter schools can use unused or under-used public school buildings at little or no cost and thus siphon money away from public schools.HOW DID STATE GET TO THIS POINT?Last fall, Lee announced the state would review its public school funding formula.The Tennessee Department of Education and the General Assembly convened 18 funding subcommittees, organized a legislative steering committee, and provided more than 1,000 opportunities for the public to engage, including 16 public town halls and local match conversations across the state.In January, Lee and Schwinn released a draft framework for the new student-based K-12 funding formula, which incorporated input from thousands of Tennesseans.To learn more about student-based funding, Tennessee's recent public engagement process and subcommittee recommendations, and to access additional resources, visit the department's website.Try the Kingsport Times News app today. Download here from Google Play and the App Store.