Two members of the Rutherford Students First (RSF) leadership team served on subcommittees which reviewed the upcoming changes in education funding for the state of Tennessee. As that process kicked off a few months ago, we surveyed RSF parents for their thoughts on what was important in education funding for our state, so we could provide that feedback in the committees.
Here are their responses to a few questions from the survey.
All of these components are important, but please rank each from most important to least important in education funding for public schools.
1 – Easy-to-Understand and Transparent
2 – Sustainable and Fiscally Responsible
3 – Works for All Students
4 – Control and flexibility at the school level
5 – Outcomes-focused
If you had to pick just one, should more money be spent on education in Tennessee or should the current funding be used in better ways?
92% Spend money in better ways
8% More money should be spent
Do you consider the money spent on education in Tennessee to be transparent?
96% No, spending is not transparent
4% I do not know if spending is transparent or not
0% Yes, spending is transparent
Both are important, but if you can only pick one, which is more important?
92% Basic academic competence: math, reading, writing, etc.
8% Social and emotional growth
Please rank each from most important to least important in your student’s education.
1 – Academic competence
2 – Social and emotional growth
3 – Athletic participation
4 – Fine arts participation
Please rank each from most important to least important in education funding for public schools.
1 – Teacher’s Pay
2 – Classroom Supplies
3 – Buildings and Maintenance
4 – Technology in Classroom
5 – Special Education Resources
6 – Professional Development for Teachers
7 – Administrators in School (such as vice principals)
8 – Police Officers (in school)
9 – Counselors
10 – Nurses
11 – Transportation Services
12 – Athletics (school sponsored)
13 – Psychologists
14 – Administrators (district level)
Who knows best what an individual student needs?
100% Parents
0% School District
0% State
Public schools will always be an option for Tennessee students, but as an alternative to a public school, do you support the idea of an “education savings account” where a reduced amount of education dollars are provided to a parent and they could choose how those dollars are spent on education related expenses including private schools, homeschool, online schools, tutoring, etc.
84% Support “education savings accounts”
8% Do not support “education savings accounts”
8% Undecided on “education savings accounts”