BY: ADAM FRIEDMAN | Tennessee Lookout
Tennessee’s special committee to study the use and potential rejection of nearly $2 billion in federal education dollars will meet five times, receiving input from seven different groups, at its hearings scheduled to start Monday.
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridged created the committee in September to study whether the state could afford to reject federal education dollars. Tennessee received $1.89 billion in federal funds for schools last year, but that money could shrink slightly once money tied to COVID-19 relief funds for schools dries up.
Sexton said he thought the state should look into rejecting the funds because of mandates by the federal education department tied to the money.
But, neither Sexton nor McNally has yet to tell reporters what federal mandates or restrictions they oppose.
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State Sen. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, and state Rep. Debra Moody, R-Covington, are co-chairs of the special committee.
The rest of its members are state Reps. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge; Timothy Hill, R-Blountville; William Slater, R-Gallatin; and Ronnie Glynn, D-Clarksville. And Sens. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald; Bill Powers, R-Clarksville; and Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis.
The schedule is the following:
Monday, Nov. 6, starting at 2:00 p.m.
- Tennessee Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability
- Tennessee’s Fiscal Review Committee
Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.
- The Sycamore Institute
- Input from the Hawkins County Schools director of schools, Jackson-Madison County School System superintendent and Memphis-Shelby County Schools interim superintendent.
Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 9-11 a.m.
- The U.S. Department of Education
- The National Conference of State Legislatures
Tuesday, Nov. 14, from 9-11 a.m.
- Tennessee Department of Education
Wednesday, Nov. 15, from 9-11 a.m.
- Tennessee Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability
