Calling it a big day for the state, Governor Bill Lee unveiled the new education funding system called the Tennessee Investment In Student Achievement Formula Thursday morning.

A base amount of $6,860 will go to each student. From there, the funding can be increased based on a student’s education needs as well as community factors such as rural areas.

Lee said the students of the state deserve a formula that takes all the individual needs of each student into account.

“This is a piece of legislation and a funding formula that Tennesseans can understand, that parents can understand, that teachers and districts can understand,” Lee said. “And that was important to us.”

Each school system will receive an email and call with their district weights today.

The formula will be discussed in seven legislative committees before being voted on by the senate and house. Lee said he is hopeful it gets passed this term.
State and local costs are split 70-30 among the base education number and the weights.