Tennessee’s education department will spend the bulk of its $491 million share of one-time federal funding on new literacy, summer camp, and tutoring initiatives as the state seeks to accelerate student learning after a year of pandemic-related disruptions.
The department also will prioritize classroom resources, teacher training, and programs to prepare more candidates for the teaching profession.
The state released its spending plan last week for its portion of the nearly $4.2 billion that Tennessee is getting for K-12 education through four COVID-19 relief and economic stimulus packages passed by Congress.
School districts will receive the vast majority of the $4.2 billion. They have until June 1 to decide how to spend the largest and most recent round of funding provided under the Biden administration.
The massive infusion of cash – which amounts to two-thirds of what the state spends in a single year on its students – presents a historic opportunity to transform public education in a state that ranks near the nation’s bottom for per-pupil spending.