(The Center Square) – Tennessee’s K-12 schools received $1.1 billion in federal funds in financial year 2019, the last before additional COVID-19 pandemic federal funds began, according to a policy brief from the non-profit Sycamore Institute.
The nonpartisan group looked into what federal funding looked like at schools across the state pre-pandemic and found the state’s 142 school districts received between $314 and $2,500 per student in federal funds.
The bulk of those funds went to rural districts with more low-income and disabled students that were judged to have less local revenue capacity and lower English Language Arts test scores.
“Our analysis used FY 2019 data — prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and related federal temporary COVID relief aid — to provide a more realistic picture of federal K-12 dollars in a typical year,” the brief noted.
The report showed districts received an average of $7.9 million in funding with Shelby County schools receiving $192.5 million on the high end and the single-school Richland City Special School District in Marion County receiving $311,000.
Humboldt City School District students received $2,540 on average in federal funds per student while Williamson County students received $310.
“Of those dollars, about 39% were for school nutrition programs, 27% for Title I programs targeted at low-income students, and 21% for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,” the brief noted.
Alamo City District in Crockett County reported zero dollars for school nutrition while Morgan County received $1,200 per student and the statewide average was $490 per student.
