Gov. Bill Lee delivers the State of the State address
Gov. Bill Lee likely has his first big fight on his hands.
The Republican announced in his State of the State address Monday night that he would push for a $25.5 million private-school voucher pilot program. Lee aides said the educations-savings-account pilot would take place in districts with three or more schools in the bottom 10 percent of Tennessee schools. That means Davidson County, Hamilton County, Knox County, Shelby County, Madison County and the Achievement School District.
“ESAs will enable low-income students from the most underperforming school districts to attend an independent school of their choice at no cost to their family,” Lee said. “I know there’s concern that programs like this will take money away from public schools, but my ESA plan will invest at least $25 million new dollars in public schools in the first year to fill the gap when a student transfers to another school. My ESA plan will strengthen public schools and provide choices for parents at the same time.”
Teachers groups and other public-school advocates have long opposed voucher programs.
The funding would cover about 5,000 low-income students in its first year and increase by 2,500 students per year if the cap is met. The funding is enough for about $7,300 per student, and local education agencies will receive a corresponding grant when their students participate.
Lee announced another potentially controversial investment in the speech. He said he would double — from $6 million to $12 million — state funding for public charter schools to acquire property.
But he made another announcement that could assuage teachers: His budget includes a $71.3 million pay increase for teachers, which amounts to about a 2.5 percent bump.
Tennessee Education Association President Beth Brown, a Grundy County High School teacher, said her group was pleased to see the raises but remained worried about investments in charter schools and voucher programs.
“In a time when teachers across the state have to dig deep into their pockets for needed classroom supplies, it is discouraging to see funding going to something proven to harm students in other states,” she said. “Let's support Tennessee students and teachers by directing taxpayer dollars to our public school classrooms, not vouchers that harm student achievement.”
The governor, who took office in January, repeatedly stressed that his first budget was fiscally conservative. He included a two-year contribution to the state’s rainy-day fund that would raise its total to $1.1 billion, its largest-ever sum. Finance Commissioner Stuart McWhorter said state budget officials were anticipating a possible economic slowdown.
“We live in prosperous days, but it’s precisely during these times when we must build up our storehouses for when times may not be as good,” Lee said.
In conjunction with the speech, Lee submitted his proposed $38.6 billion budget to the Republican-controlled General Assembly, which must pass it or another spending plan before adjourning later this year.
“I think there’s a lot of really good stuff in there,” House Majority Leader William Lamberth told the Republican caucus ahead of the speech. “The next six weeks, we’ll decide whether or not those are things we agree with.”
Lee will take his show on the road later this week, as he has so-called State of East Tennessee and State of West Tennessee addresses scheduled in Knoxville and Memphis, respectively. He originally planned to hold the main event in cities around the state, but state law requires him to give the State of the State at the Capitol.
In addition to K-12 education, Lee detailed a number of other budgetary proposals, including initiatives related to criminal justice and health care.
The governor’s main legislative package includes previously announced plans to eliminate the gym tax and the $180 expungement fee, as well as $30 million for school safety and up to $30 million for vocational education. Lee is also proposing more than $30 million in spending on opioid abuse treatment and other mental health services.
In announcing a new civic education plan for Tennessee schools, Lee promised students would be taught “unapologetic American exceptionalism.”
Lee’s budget proposal includes allotments for state grants to Amazon and Volkswagen, both of which have recently announced major projects in Nashville and Hamilton County, respectively. The state is paying Amazon $65 million and Volkswagen $50 million.
“As a conservative businessman, I know a good budget needs to pay for what is needed, take on zero long-term debt, and, perhaps most importantly, save for a rainy day,” Lee said. “As our state continues to grow, we are committed to remaining among the most fiscally sound and best-managed states in America.”
Democrats praised Lee’s criminal justice reform attempts but cautioned against his school choice proposals.
“I firmly believe that every child deserves a good public education, but the fact remains that vouchers implemented in other states have not increased student achievement,” Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Raumesh Akbari said. “In many cases, achievement has decreased, and the students have performed worse than their public school peers. Tennessee cannot afford to move backwards in education achievement.”
Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Karen Camper of Memphis, responded to Lee at an event immediately following the speech. She criticized Lee’s and Republican lawmakers’ opposition to expanding Medicaid but praised Lee for his criminal justice reform efforts.
“The state of our state is only as strong as our weakest community,” Camper said.
Like the TEA, Camper and other Democrats said they oppose Lee’s voucher and charter school initiatives.
“I’m sad that our governor has chosen to take money away from public schools by supporting what he calls education savings accounts, but what we know are vouchers,” she said.
