Tennessee Dept Of Education Looks For $260M Increase In TISA Funding
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The Center Square [By Jon Styf] –
The Tennessee Department of Education wants a $260 million increase in its base education funding and an overall $293.6 million budget increase for next fiscal year.
Commissioner Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds said the bulk of that increase is to fund the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement funding formula and teacher pay increases.
Legislation passed last year will incrementally raise the minimum teacher pay in the state to $44,500 next year before it hits $50,000 in 2026-27.
“This request continues to support district in the next step of increasing teacher salaries in alignment with the legislation passed last year,” Reynolds said.
Deputy Commissioner of Operations Sam Pearcy said the funding request is equivalent to around $1.7 billion in increased state funding to the department annually since 2019.
The department also asked for $2.5 million to pay for a Universal Reading Screener the state is required to provide free to schools along with $4.8 million for cybersecurity and district support, $3.2 million for college, career and technical education and Advanced Placement Access for All along with an additional $1 million for workforce development.
About the Author: Jon Styf, The Center Square Staff Reporter – 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. Follow Jon on Twitter @JonStyf.
Teachers show up dressed up as a Rocky Horror show character and think they deserve a raise?
Malarkey!
Why did the USA have a 92% literacy rate in 1910, and it is now in the 70% range? More technology, less skills. Is there a connection here? Perhaps individual time? Perhaps individual personalized lessons? Perhaps less woke garbage? Seems simple enough.