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Education chiefs outline summer learning flexibility, scholarship growth and IT investments
Summary
The Department of Education told the House committee it wants more flexibility in summer learning funds to let districts target remediation and tutoring, proposed funding to expand Education Freedom Scholarships by 15,000 seats, and asked for IT and AI training investments for districts.
Commissioner Lizette Reynolds told the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee that Tennessee will continue to focus budget requests on direct investments to classrooms and supports for students and educators.
"Tennessee students are steadily and consistently meeting high expectations," Reynolds said, summarizing recent gains and outlining FY27 requests that include funding to align the Education Freedom Scholarship program with enrollment growth, $5 million in additional summer learning and transportation flexibility, charter school facility support, phased school turnaround funding, IT modernization and a small grant program for AI training for educators.
Members asked whether summer program enrollments were declining and how districts would use flexible funds. Deputy Commissioner Sam Piercy said proposed language in the appropriations bill would offer districts greater flexibility to target remediation, provide year‑round tutoring or use leftover funds for school‑year interventions. The department also described administrative processes for the scholarship program and said it had managed waitlists in 2025–26 by reallocating unused scholarships to eligible applicants.
Lawmakers pressed about long‑term effects of the Education Freedom Scholarship on local budgets and whether private school capacity exists for expanded scholarship slots; the department said it has not done a statewide seat‑capacity audit and will track usage and communicate with districts and families about available seats. On staffing, the department reported it filled most new positions created to administer the scholarship program but still had a small number of open posts being recruited.
