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
Snow day or ‘screen’ day? NYC to pivot to remote learning if winter storm hits, chancellor confirms

Some schools are already prepping to ensure their students have devices in case schools need to go virtual because of a possible winter storm this weekend.

By 
Amy Zimmer
and
Alex Zimmerman
 | January 21
Hundreds of Michigan districts and schools reject safety and mental health funding

Michigan districts that agreed to conditions said they need the state funding for their safety and mental health initiatives

By 
Lori Higgins
 | January 21
A sense of belonging shows students they are welcome. Self-efficacy shows them they are capable.
By 
our sponsor, Sean Ryan, President, McGraw Hill School
 | January 21
Indianapolis Public Education Corporation bill now has timeline for takeover of taxes, buses, more

The proposed Indianapolis Public Education Corporation would have until 2028 to figure out how to manage school transportation and buildings, but its precise power over school closures is still unclear.

By 
Aleksandra Appleton
 | January 21
‘A reason to be here:’ This school improved its rating, even amid immigration enforcement fears

Abraham Lincoln High has been on the state watchlist for low performance longer than any school in Denver. But Lincoln boosted its state rating to ‘yellow’ this year at a challenging time for the Hispanic community it serves.

By 
Melanie Asmar
 | January 21
Memphis school board sues Shelby County Commission over 2026 election reset

In December, MSCS board members filed an initial lawsuit against local election leaders for putting all nine seats on the ballot. Now, they’re also targeting the county government for authorizing those changes in the first place.

By 
Bri Hatch
 | January 21