President Trump’s proposed FY 2026 budget includes a range of cuts to education, including $131 million to funds that go to Tennessee school districts. That’s the equivalent of nearly 3000 teachers.
The question is will Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Rep. John Rose, both of whom want to become Tennessee’s governor, actually stand up and fight for the state they hope to lead?
The answer is likely no.
While Gov. Bill Lee was content to let Tennessee schools lose out on $118 million in federal funding, leaders in other states – including Kentucky’s Gov. Andy Beshear – took on the Trump Administration and secured release of billions in education dollars.
The Washington Post reports:
The Trump administration plans to release more than $5 billion in funding to public schools that it has withheld for nearly a month, a senior administration official said Friday, ending weeks of anxiety and uncertainty for school leaders who had said the freeze jeopardized programs and staffing for the upcoming academic year.
School districts across Tennessee are suffering from Donald Trump’s freezing of key education funding.
In total, more than $6 billion in federal funding has been frozen, including $118 million designated for Tennessee public schools.
While leaders in some states are suing the Administration for release of the funds, Gov. Lee is not – and if the funds are not ultimately released, it could mean lost jobs and less programs for Tennessee kids most in need.
NewsChannel9 in Chattanooga reports on the impact in that region:
A spokesperson for Hamilton County Schools says they are at risk of losing $4.1 million that funds “several targeted services such as academic intervention (tutoring), teacher professional learning, and support for English learners.”
The Trump Administration’s relentless commitment to dismantling public education includes freezing funds just ahead of the start of school.
Nationally, the frozen funds amount to around $7 billion.
In Tennessee, the funds amount to $118 million. Of course, in the Volunteer State, Gov. Lee is all-in on Trumpism and so is cheering the demise of public schools.
Meanwhile, Attorneys General in some states – like North Carolina – are suing Trump to release the funds and avoid programmatic and staffing cuts.
More than $118 million for Tennessee schools and educational programs is in limbo after the Trump administration froze federal funding last week that had been approved by Congress.
Withheld funds or potential cuts could heavily impact Tennessee education programs, where it’s primarily been used to pay for teacher development, after-school programs, and other child care initiatives.
In a statement, Memphis-Shelby County Schools district officials say 100 teacher and staff positions could be impacted if some $17 million is withheld.
Gov. Bill Lee spent significant time and energy during his term attempting to pass a universal school voucher scheme that would provide coupons for discounted admission to private schools.
He finally convinced the legislature to pass this plan during a special legislative session early this year. In 2019, lawmakers passed a limited voucher plan – for only Memphis and Nashville – and then expanded that to Chattanooga.
The early results from that plan suggest it isn’t “working” – if by working one means helping students improve academic outcomes.
Results from other states show vouchers consistently cost a ton of money and fail to produce results.
No matter, Tennessee lawmakers are all-in.
So, here we are.
And some lawmakers are issuing a final warning about the dangerous territory Tennessee is about to enter:
Tennessee Senate Democrats said school vouchers will cost state taxpayers more than $1 billion. They also warned the plan could lead to less state funds for public schools. As a result, the Democrats are calling the plan a “billion-dollar boondoggle.”
The plan calls for 20,000 vouchers worth $7295 each to be available for students in grades K-12 to use at the private school of their family’s choice.
The Southern Christian Coalition is calling out Gov. Bill Lee for his Administration’s failure to properly fund Tennessee public schools.
On news that the state now ranks 47th nationally in per student investment – and last among our Southeastern neighbors, Rev. Chris Warren -a Cumberland Presbyterian minister from Murfreesboro – said:
“Scripture reminds us often to care for both children and the vulnerable in our midst. By prioritizing voucher schemes instead of fully funding our public schools, it’s clear that Governor Lee and the Supermajority Legislature have neglected this scripture’s call. Instead, they have prioritized underfunding public education while funneling millions to vouchers. This benefits powerful outside interest groups while our children suffer.”
Gov. Bill Lee is among a cohort of GOP governors trying to wean their governments off of “dependence” on the federal government. No Medicaid expansion, for example.
Nevermind that Tennesseans have paid into the federal treasury – Lee doesn’t want the money.
One might think that if there was an easy and affordable way to help feed kids over the summer, a state leader would take it. But, a number of Republican governors are not – including Tennessee’s Lee.
The Wall Street Journal digs deeper into a story I wrote about back in February.
When the federal government offered to cover the cost of feeding Tennessee’s poor children last summer, state officials accepted the cash.
Some $84 million in federal money flowed into Tennessee. The families of 700,000 kids were given $120 per child to buy food during the summer months when school is out.
Washington made the same offer for the coming summer. This time, Tennessee said no.
The WSJ story notes that Republican-led states are conflicted over accepting the Summer EBT funds – 14 are taking the money, 13 (like Tennessee) are not.
Instead of ensuring all kids have access to food this summer, Lee is starting his own program – one that leaves the fast majority of kids in need without access to food.
Tennessee can spend $1 billion to give wealthy families coupons for private schools. The state can spend hundreds of millions to build a stadium for a privately-owned football team.
But we sure can’t accept money from the federal government to ensure hungry families get a boost.
Seems that someone (Bill Lee) has some pretty mixed up priorities.
A new report shows that Tennessee has hit a new low – now the lowest among our Southeastern neighbors in school funding.
While Tennessee historically ranks in the bottom 10 nationally – usually in the 44-45 range – we’d usually end up with funding above some of our Southern neighbors.
Thanks to Bill Lee, not anymore.
Tennessee ranks dead last among neighboring states when it comes to investment in schools after six years of Lee’s “leadership.”
Instead of seeking to right the ship and push Tennessee forward, Lee has now convinced his legislative allies to embrace a billion-dollar school voucher scheme.
If you think it’s bad now, it will very likely get worse.
Gov. Bill Lee yesterday celebrated Donald Trump’s “executive order” to dismantle and effectively end the U.S. Department of Education.
Unsurprisingly, the same Governor who relentlessly pushed to destroy public education in Tennessee through a costly and ineffective school voucher scheme also supports this latest very bad idea.
Here’s a bit of what I wrote about it over at The Education Report:
In short: This will be bad. All of it. The end of the Department of Education. The end of public school. The advent of “free market, choose your own adventure” education.
The end result: an exacerbation of income-based inequality. Or, the dream scenario of Project 2025.
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