$100 million. That’s how much the already struggling Nashville school district is being asked to cut in the wake of the economic challenges created by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Tennessean has more:
Mayor John Cooper has asked Nashville schools to explore ways to potentially cut up to $100 million from its current budget as the coronavirus continues to take a toll on the city’s revenue collections.
As non-essential businesses remain closed and Nashville residents are spending less time outside, city officials are forecasting a $200 million to $300 million shortfall in expected taxes and other revenue for the current fiscal year.
The potential budget cuts come even as Gov. Bill Lee insisted on $41 million in state funding for his voucher scheme while cutting funds sent to districts for teacher compensation.
Teachers in Nashville already lag behind those in other districts when it comes to pay.
It’s not clear where MNPS will find room for cuts, but based on past actions, it seems likely some savings would be realized by moving more students to virtual schools. It also seems likely entire programs could be reduced or eliminated.
This difficult climate is happening in a state that clearly has yet to learn the lessons of the Great Recession. Tennessee is at least $1.7 billion behind where it should be to adequately fund schools, according to a report from the bipartisan legislative study group known as TACIR.
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
In a post at the Washington Post, Derek Black warns that investment in public education must not be denied in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and coming economic impacts.
Some notes:
During the Great Recession of the late 2000s, Congress hoped that most of a $54 billion set-aside in stimulus funds would be enough to save public school budgets, which had been savaged by state and local governments. It wasn’t enough.
States imposed education cuts so steep that many school budgets still have not fully rebounded — and Congress’s 2020 stimulus bill aimed at trying to save the economy from a new calamity fails to address the possibility of a sequel. Meanwhile, even before the economic effects of the current crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic are being fully felt, states are already looking to cut education funding.
If states cut public education with the same reckless abandon this time as last, the harm will be untold. A teaching profession that has spent the last two years protesting shamefully low salaries may simply break. The number quitting the profession altogether will further skyrocket — and it’s not likely there will be anyone to take their place.
The first signs of this possibility are here. In recent weeks, three states — Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee — have cut teacher salary increases for this coming year — increases intended at this late date to begin repairing the damage from the last recession. Education Week reports that teachers may lose all of an anticipated pay hike in Kentucky, and legislatures in at least five other states have not acted on salary hikes for educators.
Black notes that Tennessee is among the states not learning the lesson of the Great Recession. It’s worth noting that Tennessee’s teachers already earn less in inflation-adjusted dollars than they did all the way back in 2009.
Between FY 2016 and FY 2020, lawmakers enacted a total of $429 million in recurring increases for teacher pay. Since that time, growth in Tennessee teachers’ average pay has begun to catch up with inflation. After adjusting for inflation, however, teachers’ average pay during the 2018-2019 school year was still about 4.4% lower than a decade earlier.
So, the response to the coronavirus by Gov. Bill Lee and the General Assembly was to cut a planned investment in teacher compensation and instead fund a voucher scheme.
When (if?) the General Assembly returns in June, it will be interesting to see if commitments are made about investments in public education going forward. Tennessee is already $1.7 billion behind where we should be in school funding.
Perhaps the crisis caused by coronavirus will give lawmakers time to actually conduct a comprehensive review of our school funding formula and make necessary adjustments and improvements.
Alternatively, as Black suggests, lawmakers may look to “save money” by moving to cheaper, less reliable online learning options while foregoing investment in teachers and the resources students need.
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
Admitted child sex offender David Byrd, who serves in the Tennessee House of Representatives, has indicated he will seek re-election to his seat in 2020. The announcement comes despite earlier claims by Byrd that he would not seek re-election AND after Gov. Bill Lee reportedly asked Byrd not to run.
Here’s a summary of what TNEdReport has noted about Byrd in recent years:
Last year, former House Speaker Beth Harwell was calling on state representative David Byrd to resign amid allegations he had improper sexual relationships with high school students he had coached. Now, new House Speaker Glen Casada has appointed Byrd to Chair the House Education Administration Subcommittee.
At yesterday’s meeting, Byrd asked each committee member to introduce himself (the committee is made up of seven men) and state an interesting fact.
Each member proceeded to attempt humor. Not a single member used the opportunity to call on Byrd to resign from his committee leadership post. Instead, they acted as if having an admitted sex offender at the helm of a legislative committee was just business as usual.
David Byrd is out as chair of a House Education subcommittee just one day after his vote against Governor Bill Lee’s school voucher plan. While some had speculated Byrd might vote in favor of vouchers in exchange for cover from Lee, Byrd voted NO on Lee’s plan yesterday in the full House Education Committee.
Governor Bill Lee failed to call on admitted sex offender and state Rep. David Byrd to step down from his leadership post on an education subcommittee following a meeting between Lee and one of Byrd’s accusers. However, Lee’s henchman, House Speaker Glen Casada, removed Byrd from his leadership post following Byrd’s vote in opposition to Lee’s school voucher scheme.
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
After receiving support from a mail campaign paid for by the voucher vultures at American Federation for Children, Gov. Bill Lee’s scheme to divert public money to private schools is now accepting applications.
The website is now live and includes an illuminating FAQ.
What is the ESA program? The ESA program allows eligible students who are zoned to attend a Shelby County district school, a Metro Nashville public school, or a school that was in the Achievement School District (ASD) on May 24, 2019, to use state and local money toward education expenses, including tuition and/or fees at approved private schools.
This is true. The ESA program (vouchers) diverts taxpayer money to private schools by way of a platform administered by ClassWallet. ClassWallet, of course, is the company that “won” a no-bid state contract worth millions of dollars.
How can ESA funds be used? Funds in an ESA may only be used for educational purposes. This includes: Tuition or fees at a participating school Required school uniforms at a participating school Required textbooks at a participating school Tuition and fees for approved summer education programs and specialized after-school education programs Tutoring services provided by an individual who meets department requirements. Tuition and fees at an eligible postsecondary institution Transportation to and from a participating school or education provider by taxi or bus service Textbooks required by an eligible postsecondary institution Fees for early postsecondary opportunity courses, exams, or exams related to college admission Educational therapies or services for participating students provided by a department-approved therapist Computer hardware, technological devices, or other department-approved technology fees. (This is applicable only if the technology is used for educational needs, is purchased at or below fair market value, and is purchased through a participating school, private school, or provider.)
The broad guidelines for use of voucher funds make the program susceptible to fraud, as the Daily Memphianreports has happened in other jurisdictions:
Reports from across the nation show situations in which private-school officials and parents spent voucher money for items unrelated to education. Cards were used at beauty supply stores, sporting good shops and for computer tech support, in addition to trying to withdraw cash, which was not allowed.
Can an ESA be used for a participating private school outside of Shelby or Davidson County?
Yes, while your student must be zoned for a Shelby County district school, a Metro Nashville public school, or a school in the Achievement School District, the ESA may be used for an out-of-county participating private school.
So, the voucher scheme is taking money from cash-strapped Shelby and Davidson counties and diverting it to private schools in neighboring districts.
Oh, and let’s be clear: Lee insisted that vouchers be funded in his emergency coronavirus budget — and did so at the expense of an investment in public schools.
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
Today, Governor Bill Lee announced he’s recommending schools in the state remain closed through at least April 24th in light of the COVID-19 crisis. Here’s a tweet from Commissioner of Education Penny Schwinn:
Today, @GovBillLee announced an extension to school closures through April 24th. I know this is hard, but it is necessary. @TNedu will launch even more resources to help our schools and families. Like you, I feel it at work, and at home, but keeping our kids safe is Priority 1.
Governor Bill Lee isn’t happy that members of his own party aren’t happy with the rocky rollout of the state’s voucher program, according to the Tennessean.
Gov. Bill Lee says the state should continue to move forward with implementing a school voucher program as quickly as possible, despite ongoing concerns being raised by legislators on both sides of the aisle.
Lee said Thursday the implementation of the program was being “hampered” by “detractors to a process,” and reiterated that he pushed for the program to “give kids in our state a high-quality education.”
It’s also worth noting that significant evidence indicates that vouchers don’t actually help kids, and in fact, can leave them lagging behind academically:
The first results came in late 2015. Researchers examined an Indiana voucher program that had quickly grown to serve tens of thousands of students under Mike Pence, then the state’s governor. “In mathematics,” they found, “voucher students who transfer to private schools experienced significant losses in achievement.” They also saw no improvement in reading.
The next results came a few months later, in February, when researchers published a major study of Louisiana’s voucher program. Students in the program were predominantly black and from low-income families, and they came from public schools that had received poor ratings from the state department of education, based on test scores. For private schools receiving more applicants than they could enroll, the law required that they admit students via lottery, which allowed the researchers to compare lottery winners with those who stayed in public school. They found large negative results in both reading and math. Public elementary school students who started at the 50th percentile in math and then used a voucher to transfer to a private school dropped to the 26th percentile in a single year. Results were somewhat better in the second year, but were still well below the starting point.
In June, a third voucher study was released by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative think tank and proponent of school choice. The study, which was financed by the pro-voucher Walton Family Foundation, focused on a large voucher program in Ohio. “Students who use vouchers to attend private schools have fared worse academically compared to their closely matched peers attending public schools,” the researchers found. Once again, results were worse in math.
It’s no wonder so many “detractors” are trying to “hamper the process.”
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
Last year, Governor Bill Lee doubled the charter school slush fund while only offering a pittance to public school teachers. This year, he’s pulling a similar trick, again doubling the charter school slush fund — from $12 million to $24 million — while offering teachers a paltry 4% increase in the BEP salary number (which means an actual raise of about 2%).
Lee’s 2020-21 budget includes $24 million in funding for charter school facilities. This is a 100% improvement over the 2019-2020 budget. Simultaneously, Lee is touting a 4% increase in BEP funding for teacher salaries. This means an actual raise of less than 2% for most teachers. Even if you assume a net gain of 4%, you get a 70 cent an hour raise.
Let’s be clear: Governor Lee prioritizes charter schools over Tennessee’s public school teachers. His last two budgets make that plain.
It’s also worth noting that Lee has made NO effort to improve BEP funding even as the state’s own Department of Education indicates we are 9000 teachers short of proper funding:
In Tennessee, classroom size requirements have forced districts to hire more than 9,000 teachers beyond what the BEP provides to pay for their salaries, according to a statewide analysis presented by the Department of Education in December to the BEP Review Committee.
So, we’re at a minimum of $500 million short of properly funding our schools and Lee’s proposal is to give the teachers we have a 2% raise. No word on improving the BEP. No word on a significant salary boost for existing teachers. Just 2% for teachers (4% in BEP funds), and another 100% increase for charter schools.
Could Gov. Lee’s priorities be more clear?
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
There are 57 private schools who have taken the first step toward receiving public support for their operations, according to a story in Chalkbeat. The news comes as Governor Lee continues to ramp up his Education Savings Account voucher scheme. The vote to authorize the plan remains under investigation by the TBI and the FBI.
From Chalkbeat:
At least 57 private schools have taken the first formal step to participate in Tennessee’s new voucher program beginning with the upcoming school year.
Leaders for 30 schools in the Memphis area, 26 in the Nashville area, and one in Knoxville have completed the state’s online form indicating their intent to participate. The list is based on information provided to Chalkbeat by the Department of Education through a public records request.
Here’s the list of those schools seeking taxpayer support without any real accountability:
Memphis area
Bodine School, Germantown
Bornblum Jewish Community School, Memphis
Brinkley Heights Urban Academy, Memphis
Central Baptist School, Memphis
Christian Brothers High School, Memphis
Christ the King Lutheran School, Memphis
Collegiate School of Memphis
Creative Life Inc., Memphis
Evangelical Christian School, Cordova
Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School, Memphis
Greater Praise Christian Academy, Memphis
Immaculate Conception Cathedral School, Memphis
Immanuel Lutheran School, Memphis
Incarnation Catholic School, Collierville
Harding Academy of Memphis
Holy Rosary Catholic School, Memphis
Hutchison School, Memphis
Memphis Heritage Christian School, Memphis
Pleasant View School, Memphis
Presbyterian Day School, Memphis
SE Academy Independent School, Memphis
Sensational Enlightenment, Memphis
St. Ann Catholic School, Bartlett
St. Benedict at Auburndale, Cordova
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School, Cordova
St. George’s Independent School, Collierville
St. Louis Catholic School, Memphis
St. Paul Catholic School, Memphis
Woodland Presbyterian School, Memphis
Word of Faith Christian Academy, Memphis
Nashville area
Akiva School, Nashville
Benton Hall Academy, Nashville
Born Again Christian Academy, Nashville
Christ the King School, Nashville
Dayspring Academy, Greenbrier
Ezell-Harding Christian School, Antioch
Gateway Academy, Nashville
Lighthouse Christian School, Antioch
Linden Waldorf School, Nashville
Hendersonville Christian Academy, Hendersonville
Holy Rosary Academy, Nashville
Montessori East, Nashville
Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville
Pleasant View Christian School, Pleasant View
Pope John Paul II High School, Hendersonville
St. Ann School, Nashville
St. Henry School, Nashville
St. John Vianney School, Gallatin
St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, Murfreesboro
St. Clement Coptic Orthodox Christian Academy, Nashville
St. Edward School, Nashville
St. Joseph School, Madison
St. Matthew School, Franklin
St. Pius X Classical Academy, Nashville
South Haven Christian School, Springfield
Templeton Academy, Nashville
Elsewhere
First Lutheran School, Knoxville
The voucher plan is facing a serious repeal effort and also threatens to divide Republicans, at least in the House.
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
Governor Bill Lee’s administration is adding more voucher advocates to the mix as Lee continues to pursue a policy of “disruption” rather than investment and support when it comes to public education. Chalkbeat has more on the new staffers:
Gov. Bill Lee’s administration is hiring three more leaders with ties to groups that lobby for school vouchers and charter schools.
Gillum Ferguson, recently communications director for the American Federation for Children in Tennessee, is Lee’s interim press secretary.
Charlie Bufalino, director of policy and strategy for TennesseeCAN, will become the Department of Education’s chief liaison to state lawmakers on legislation and policy.
Chelsea Crawford, who has served as TennesseeCAN’s media contact, will lead communications for the education department.
The hires are expected to further expand the influence of organizations advocating for hot-button education policies such as vouchers and charter schools.
As Lee was first building his senior staff in late 2018, his early hires reflected a push toward school privatization:
As Governor-elect Bill Lee staffs up ahead of taking office in January, he’s making it clear he plans to push forward heavily on vouchers. He’s already named one key voucher backer to a top policy role and now, he’s announced his Legislative Director will be the former Director of Students First/Tennessee CAN.
Lee has so far made good on his promise to deliver vouchers and charters to Tennessee, securing passage of a voucher bill by a narrow margin and also aggressively pushing charter schools.
For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport
