Sen. Lamar Backs State Panel’s Call to Invest More In Tennessee’s Public School Students
October 30, 2026, 9:10 p.m.

NASHVILLE, TN - Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, endorsed the recommendations of the TISA Review Committee, a panel established by state law to review the effectiveness of Tennessee’s K-12 student funding formula. The committee’s report, the first since the state adopted a new student funding formula in 2022, calls for more funding for low-income students, school buildings, student mental health, small rural districts and students with the most significant learning needs.

“Tennessee’s own school funding experts just told us exactly what our students need. With crumbling schools and undervalued teachers across the state, Democrats are ready to make a serious investment in our future by better funding our students,” Sen. Lamar said. “Tennessee is dead last in the nation in what we invest in public school students — a thousand dollars per child behind Mississippi. We do not have a budget problem. We have a priorities problem. It’s time to fund our public school kids.”

The TISA Review Committee is required to publish recommendations to improve the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement formula, which sets how the state funds every public school student. Its members include the commissioners of education and finance, the state comptroller, the Republican chairs of the House and Senate education committees, and school superintendents, teachers and finance directors from across the state.

This week the committee adopted five top priorities for the 2027-28 state budget:

1. Count more students in need. Add Medicaid eligibility to the state’s definition of “economically disadvantaged,” which would direct extra funding to an estimated 120,000 more students. The Tennessee Department of Education estimates the cost at $233 million, including $163.1 million in state funds.

2. Fund school infrastructure. Add funding for school buildings and facilities to the TISA formula. Collectively, Tennessee public schools need $10.4 billion in renovations and additions, according to the state’s annual public infrastructure assessment.

3. Support student mental health. Provide additional funds for mental and behavioral health supports in classrooms.

4. Help small districts. Raise the small-district allocation from 5% to 7% of the base for districts with fewer than 1,000 students and add 2% for districts with 1,000 to 1,500 students, at an estimated cost of $4.7 million. Many small districts are struggling with increased fuel and energy prices.

5. Serve students with the greatest needs. Increase the funding weights for students in the highest unique learning needs categories.

The committee also flagged a strong need for pre-K special education funding, which falls outside the K-12 formula.

The committee’s top recommendation responds to a 2026 law requiring it to study how Tennessee identifies economically disadvantaged students. Lamar said the findings make clear the state is undercounting children who need help.

Tennessee ranks  last in the nation in per-pupil funding for K-12 public school students, trailing Mississippi by about $1,000 per student. Meanwhile, the state’s private school voucher program pays out more per student than the state invests in the average public school student.

The committee sent its list of priorities to Gov. Bill Lee and members of the state legislature for consideration in the next state budget, which will be taken up when the General Assembly convenes in January.