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Nashville district joins lawsuit seeking more state education funding

Oct. 18, 2017
Tennessee's second-largest district joins action brought two years ago by Shelby County Schools, the state's largest district.

The Nashville (Tenn.) school board has voted to join the Shelby County district in a lawsuit seeking more education funding from the state.

The Tennessean reports that he motion to join the litigation passed in a 7-0 vote by the Nashville school board. The action brings together Tennessee's two largest school districts in the fight for more education funds from the state.

The Shelby County district, which includes Memphis, contends in its lawsuit that the state isn't adequately funding its schools and as a result that is hurting the system's most vulnerable students.

The lawsuit was filed in August 2015 and has been a longstanding topic of conversation for the Nashville schools board. Seven Hamilton County area districts have also sued the state for more education funding.

The suit is focused on the funding formula commonly called the BEP and whether the state is providing enough to Tennessee districts to teach students.

BEP is a formula that was created in response to Tennessee Supreme Court rulings in favor of schools and was set by the Tennessee General Assembly.

About the Author

Mike Kennedy | Senior Editor

Mike Kennedy, senior editor, has written for AS&U on a wide range of educational issues since 1999.

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