The State Board of Education met today and per legislative mandate, appointed the members of the 2015-16 BEP Review Committee.

The BEP Review Committee is a group of education stakeholders who meet each year to review the state’s education funding formula and make recommendations for improvements in order to ensure that the formula continues to provide adequate, equitable education funding.

The 2014 report recommended $478 million in improvements. The legislature took a baby step in 2015, funding just under $30 million in new money to cover 11 months of health insurance for teachers (who are insured, it turns out, for a full 12 months).

Here’s the interesting thing, the Board approved appointments for the 2015-16 edition of the BEP Review Committee and for the first time, those appointments did not include a representative from the Tennessee Education Association — the oldest and largest organization representing teachers in Tennessee.

The group includes representatives of School Boards, Superintendents, city government, county government, county commissioners, state legislative committees and others.

Here’s the list:

2015-2016 BEP Review Committee Members
Lyle Ailshie
Director of Schools
Kingsport City Schools
Harry Brooks
Chair, House Education Administration and
Planning Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
David Connor
Executive Director
Tennessee County Services Association
Dolores Gresham
Chair, Senate Education Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
Lee Harrell
Director of Government Relations
Tennessee Schools Board Association
Vincent Harvell
Director of Business Operations
Haywood County Schools
Chris Henson
Interim Director of Schools
Metro Nashville Public Schools
Sara Heyburn
Executive Director
Tennessee State Board of Education
Dorsey Hopson
Director of Schools
Shelby County Schools
Karen King
Assistant Superintendent
Sevier County Schools
Larry Martin
Commissioner
Department of Finance and Administration
Wayne Miller
Executive Director
Tennessee Organization of School
Superintendents
Mitchell Moore
City Manager, City of Athens
Tennessee Municipal League
Rick Nicholson
Senate Budget Director
Office of Legislative Budget Analysis
Don Odom
Director of Schools
Rutherford County Schools
Lynnisse Roehrich-Patrick
Executive Director
Tennessee Advisory Commission on
Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR)
Larry Ridings
Tennessee School Systems for Equity
Fielding Rolston
Chairman
Tennessee State Board of Education
Mary Ann Sparks
Deputy Director of Schools
Wilson County Schools
Justin P. Wilson
Comptroller of the Treasury
Hunter Zanardi
Instructional Specialist
Putnam County Schools

The appointments are recommended by State Board staff and then presented to and approved by the Board. Following today’s meeting, the committee will meet with a legislative directive to complete their report by November 1st. And, for the first time, that report won’t include the input of the Tennessee Education Association.

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