The Tennessee General Assembly has announced that they will convene a "joint working group" to study the state's possible refusal of $1.89 billion in federal education funding and to develop a proposal to reject those funds moving forward. Federal education funding currently pays for much of the extra costs associated with educating kids living in poverty, kids learning English, and, importantly, kids with disabilities. Information and resources about what the plan to reject federal education funds could mean for students with disabilities in Tennessee are below.
The End of SPED? Webinar
A recording of "The End of SPED?" webinar from November 9th, 2023. During the webinar, Jeff discussed what the plan to reject federal education funds could mean for students with disabilities in Tennessee, short-term and long-term action plans, and how you can continue to advocate.
To view and download the presentation slides: The End of SPED? Webinar Slides
Advocacy Resources
- Send a message to your legislators using Voter Voice
- Sign up for TDC's Policy Updates
- TDC's Advocate Interest Survey
- Text TEAMWORK to 72690 to receive policy updates sent directly to your phone.
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Education Funding Refusal Resources
- The Sycamore Institute Brief
- The New America Article on the Impacts of SPED
- The Education Trust - Tennessee Federal Funding Refusal Memo
- The Tennessee Ed Funding Graphic
- The District-by-District Breakdown of Federal Funding Reliance