TISA Legislation Launches on February 24th with Presentation from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Commissioner Penny Schwinn

Nashville, TN – Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn will share legislation for the new student-based funding formula, known as the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement formula (TISA), on Thursday, February 24th.

Tennesseans will have access to a livestream presentation that breaks down key aspects of the legislation and funding proposal. Details about the presentation will be announced next week.

“After an extensive process with input from thousands of Tennesseans, we are on the cusp of achieving an updated approach to public education that prioritizes students and invests in the future of Tennessee,” said Governor Lee. “I thank our partners in the General Assembly who have worked with us for months to improve the way we fund public schools, and I have every expectation that we will get this done during the current legislative session.”
 
“From the start of the public engagement process, Tennesseans from across the state have weighed in and developed a strong vision for how to best fund public education,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “Under the TISA, we will put the funding focus on students and give Tennesseans clear information to understand how districts and schools are using funding to help our students thrive.” 

For the first time in over 30 years, the TISA will update the way Tennessee invests in public education by moving to a student-based funding formula, including the following components:

• Student-based funding starts with a base funding amount for every public-school student.
• Additional funding may then be allocated based on weights to address individual student needs.
• Direct funding is another opportunity for students to receive additional funding allocations to support specific programs, like tutoring.
• Outcome incentives are awarded based on student achievement to empower schools to help all students reach their full potential.

In January, Governor Lee and Commissioner Schwinn released a draft framework for the new student-based K-12 funding formula, which incorporated input from thousands of Tennesseans.

Starting last fall, the Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee General Assembly convened 18 funding subcommittees, organized a legislative steering committee, and provided over 1,000 opportunities for the public to engage, including 16 public town halls and local match conversations across the state.

To learn more about student-based funding, Tennessee’s recent public engagement process and subcommittee recommendations, and to access additional resources, visit the Department of Education’s website.