Well, I’m not sure that qualifies as a huge education announcement from Gov Lee. What we heard today is that he wants yet another BEP study, a tradition that happens to coincide with politicians feeling pressure to invest in students near an election.
If a plan ever materializes, it should be judged on whether it addresses the real funding needs of schools and its per pupil student spending.
But what he talked about today sounds more like changing the way we cut the pie. But the main education funding problem in Tennessee is that the pie just isn’t big enough. And it hasn’t been for years.
If Lee only wants to change how we slice the pie, we’ll have new winners and new losers, and then we’ll find ourselves in the exact same position. Underfunded schools, frustrated teachers, students falling through the cracks.
Folks, we’d have to add more than $1.5 billion to the education funding pie to even get close to the Southeast average.
And if you think this is all about public schools, look sharp! If the term “student centered funding” comes from ALEC, pay close attention to what this is really about — it’s not about our public school kids at all.
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