Fully Funding Schools

3 May 2020

The state formula for educational funding hasn’t been updated since 2007, and our district is grossly underfunded as a result. This year, the state provided what the formula deemed 45% of the necessary funding for MNPS. In reality, the state funds covered 30% of the MNPS budget, and even that finalized budget was less than the school board truly needed in order to fully fund school needs.

The state’s Basic Education Program (BEP) formula is out-of-date and particularly unfair to the largest school districts in the state (MNPS being the 2nd largest). It is unjust that the board may now be required to drain even more funding from our public schools in order to comply with the TN School Voucher Program. Our tax dollars need to stay in our public schools.

I would be honored and excited to have the opportunity to work with Dr. Adrienne Battle, the Metro Council, and Mayor John Cooper to fully fund the needs of Metro Nashville Public Schools. We are so fortunate, as a city, to have a new director of schools who has a huge base of support from across the county. She has already proven herself to be a steady and resolute leader under unprecedented circumstances.