News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
House Speaker Cameron Sexton said under the new school funding formula, the super-majority of school systems should not have a problem with future maintenance of effort.
Sexton said school systems should have enough time to prepare before that comes into play.
“Even with the old formula on the BEP when you increase salaries and you increase other things, it does require some additional money locally,” Sexton said. “The formula that we created protected the school districts for four or five years and allow them to get their feet under them on the new formula.”
Several Upper Cumberland School Systems have voiced concerns of property tax raises once the grace period ends. The state will be raising teacher salaries and the local level will be responsible for the difference later on.
Sexton said the same complaint would have been present with the old formula. Sexton said the new formula will allow local levels to adjust gradually.
Overall, Sexton said school systems that did not lose student population will gain more money under the new formula. Sexton said funding will be tied to the students at a base amount. Sexton said a student can gain more funding based on service needs and county factors such as poverty and population.
