Politics & PolicyCOVID and SchoolsCOVID Stimulus

Tennessee will get another $2.5 billion in federal stimulus funding for schools. Tell us how your district should spend its share.

By 
Marta W. Aldrich
 | March 15, 2021, 9:19pm UTC
A young boy wearing a white shirt, khakis and a red and grey Shelby County Schools backpack walks into a school’s front doors.
Students and parents are screened entering Vollentine Elementary School in Memphis on March 1, 2021. The return marked students’ first day back since Shelby County Schools shuttered school buildings a year earlier due to the pandemic. (Joe Rondone / The Commercial Appeal)

Tennessee schools are about to be on the receiving end of a historic windfall of federal cash — nearly $2.5 billion, to be exact. 

We’d like to know how you think school leaders should spend it. 

Last week’s passage of President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan adds billions more to the $1.5 billion the state already has received for education from the first two stimulus plans approved during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn calls the total a “stunning amount of money,” with high-poverty districts getting the largest shares.

District leaders will have a lot of flexibility on how to spend the latest federal investment, but must dedicate a fifth of it to learning recovery programs like summer school, after-school tutoring, and extending the school day. The rest can go for other pandemic-related needs. 

We want to hear from students, parents, and educators about the greatest needs you see as Tennessee seeks to recover from the pandemic. Please take our brief survey and let us know if we can follow up with you.

The Latest
Denver to contract with outside company to provide in-house substitutes for high-needs schools

The Denver school board approved a two-year, $3.5 million contract with TeachStart to provide year-long substitute teachers for certain schools.

By 
Melanie Asmar
 | December 20
Chicago is expanding its Sustainable Community Schools. They haven’t yet boosted student outcomes.

A Chalkbeat analysis suggests that the district’s joint initiative with its teachers union hasn’t yet given its 20 pilot schools an edge over other high-poverty campuses when it comes to academics and school climate.

By 
Mila Koumpilova
 | December 19
Chicago’s Sustainable Community Schools initiative has a history of unspent money and turnover

A Chalkbeat analysis found that staff turnover, unspent dollars, and community partner tensions have been key challenges for the 7-year-old program.

By 
Mila Koumpilova
 | December 19
Detroit school district facing millions in state fines for low daily attendance last year

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti says the law punishes districts for system inequities that contribute to chronic absenteeism.

By 
Hannah Dellinger
 | December 19
How Indy’s fractured school system led to a plan for unified control of public schools

State lawmakers will consider creating a new agency to oversee IPS schools and charters. Here’s a look at the history and powerful advocates behind that push for unified control over city schools.

By 
Amelia Pak-Harvey
 | December 19
Tennessee county mayors urge Gov. Lee to accept federal aid for low-income students

The majority of low-income Tennessee students did not receive help paying for summer meals in 2025 for the first time in years. Now, local officials want the state to bring back federal aid for 2026.

By 
Melissa Brown
 | December 19