Coming up with a huge amount of recurring funds is obviously difficult, but we're in the process of seeing what we can work out."
NASHVILLE -- Gov. Bill Haslam and the heads of Tennessee's four largest school districts are hopeful their meeting on Monday begins a discussion on education funding that can avert a possible lawsuit by school boards in Hamilton County and at least six other districts.
But whether the school chiefs' bosses -- local school boards in Hamilton and elsewhere -- go along remains to be seen.
Haslam, state Education Commissioner Candice McQueen and the four school chiefs, including Hamilton County Superintendent Rick Smith, met in the governor's office for an hour Monday afternoon to discuss the urban school leaders' contentions that the Basic Education Program funding formula is not adequate.
FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2012 file photo, Rep. Sheila Butt, R-Columbia, lower right, listens as Gov. Bill Haslam, center, talks about his legislative agenda on the opening day of the second session of the 107th General Assembly in Nashville, Tenn. The Tennessee Legislative Black Caucus has said Butt should apologize for a Facebook post they say is racist. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) The bottom line: Haslam said he is looking to see how to inject more money into the program with an eye toward boosting teacher salaries and extending teacher insurance payments from 10 months to 12 months. But he emphasized his top priority is how it would help student outcomes.
"There's nothing that any of these superintendents have expressed that we'd say, 'No, no, you're wrong, you don't need more of that,'" Haslam told reporters after emerging from the closed-door meeting.
"Our challenge in a budget is always, how do you make everything work?" he said, noting he has recommended putting $140 million into public K-12 education for teacher pay increases and BEP increases. That's "not too shabby," Haslam said. "But there are still some real needs that they are convinced can affect outcomes. So we're going to see what we can do."
School boards in Hamilton, Bradley, Grundy, Marion, McMinn, Polk and Coffee counties already have voted to authorize lawsuits to force the state to improve the $4.03 billion BEP funding formula. Urban school boards in Shelby and Knox counties are actively exploring litigation. Metro Nashville's board has ordered its chief, Jesse Register, to get something worked out or they'll go to court too.
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* Today's meeting with school leaders may be Haslam's last chance to avoid lawsuit * Hamilton County commissioners leaning against school tax increase * Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Rick Smith calls for property tax hike * It's official. Hamilton County Schools votes to sue Tennessee. Here's why. * Hamilton County Schools threatens to sue over BEP funding * Hamilton County school board to explore suing Tennessee
Superintendents or directors of the Hamilton, Knox, Shelby and Metro Nashville systems all participated in Monday's meeting in Haslam's first-floor office in the state Capitol.
They and the other systems contend the existing program is underfunded to the tune of more than $500 million and possibly as much as $1 billion. The formula determines the state's share, with remaining costs borne by the 141 public school districts.
Appearing with Haslam and his three urban colleagues, Hamilton County's Smith told reporters he was "pleased with today's conversation" and he and fellow superintendents "really appreciated" the governor taking time to discuss problems.
As for whether he would recommend the county delay a lawsuit, Smith said, "Yes, certainly, I'm going to talk to our board about what I think is important to all of us. ... I think right now we need to talk. We had a very good conversation today. I expect we'll have further conversations, as the governor mentioned, and look forward to those."
Haslam said his administration is working on its budget amendment that will be presented to the General Assembly on March 30 or 31.
"So we're in the process of seeing what we can do and not do. Coming up with a huge amount of recurring funds is obviously difficult, but we're in the process of seeing what we can work out," Haslam said.
Increasing the state's share of teachers' insurance coverage from 10 months to 12 months would cost an estimated $64 million annually, according to the BEP's Review Committee's latest recommendations and estimates.
Boosting the state's share of funding for teacher salaries could cost a half billion, according to the urban systems.
Contact staff writer Andy Sher at 615-255-0550 or asher@timesfreepress.com.