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The Center Square [By Jon Styf] –
Tennessee’s K-12 schools received $1.1 billion in federal funds in financial year 2019, the last before additional COVID-19 pandemic federal funds began, according to a policy brief from the non-profit Sycamore Institute.
The nonpartisan group looked into what federal funding looked like at schools across the state pre-pandemic and found the state’s 142 school districts received between $314 and $2,500 per student in federal funds.
The bulk of those funds went to rural districts with more low-income and disabled students that were judged to have less local revenue capacity and lower English Language Arts test scores.
“Our analysis used FY 2019 data — prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and related federal temporary COVID relief aid — to provide a more realistic picture of federal K-12 dollars in a typical year,” the brief noted.
The report showed districts received an average of $7.9 million in funding with Shelby County schools receiving $192.5 million on the high end and the single-school Richland City Special School District in Marion County receiving $311,000.
Humboldt City School District students received $2,540 on average in federal funds per student while Williamson County students received $310.
“Of those dollars, about 39% were for school nutrition programs, 27% for Title I programs targeted at low-income students, and 21% for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,” the brief noted.
Alamo City District in Crockett County reported zero dollars for school nutrition while Morgan County received $1,200 per student and the statewide average was $490 per student.
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.
2 Responses
Kudos to Alamo for their display of self-sufficiency.
A good spread of relevant data. Questions:
Q1) What is corresponding break down for 2022?
Q2) Why does TN ‘sell our soul’ to the Federal devil for 11% of our education cost? We have the ability to be self- sufficient & break the yoke of ‘voluntary servitude.’