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Board told $7 billion federal education funding review could leave CMCSS with about $12 million affected
Summary
District staff briefed the board that a temporary federal funding freeze affecting Title programs could impact about $12 million of CMCSS’s budget; the district said it will prioritize personnel and pause nonessential spending while awaiting guidance.
District staff briefed the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System Board on a temporary freeze in roughly $7 billion of federal education funding that includes Title I, II, III, IV and adult literacy programs.
Staff said the freeze affects about $120 million statewide in Tennessee and roughly $12 million in the CMCSS budget. "We are approaching this situation with both caution and optimism," the presenter said, adding that the Tennessee Department of Education has paused distribution of those grant budgets while the U.S. Department of Education completes a review.
The district said it will "prioritize people over programs" if cuts become necessary, and that leadership is reviewing line items to pause nonessential spend such as some professional-development contracts while maintaining services that directly support students. The presenter said the district’s priority is to retain Title-funded positions such as academic coaches and staff paid from those grants.
In response to a question from Doctor Vetter about which programs would be cut first, the presenter said staff are pausing items that can be delayed — for example, professional development scheduled for October — while making every effort to avoid layoffs of grant-funded positions. The presenter also stated that "There is nothing in special ed currently that that is going to be cut."
The briefing was informational; no formal action or vote was taken. Staff said they will continue communications with the Tennessee Department of Education and update the board as additional guidance arrives.
