Tennessee lawmakers are looking at rejecting federal dollars for public education and replacing them with state dollars in a move that would make Tennessee the first in the nation to turn down federal education funding.
Republican leadership in the state announced the formation of a panel to look at the impact of federal education funding in Tennessee and the “strings” that can come attached with that funding.
“Any time the federal government sends money, there are always strings attached to those dollars, and there is always a possibility that it opens the state up to other regulations or restrictions,” said Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton. “This working group will help provide a clearer picture of how much autonomy Tennessee truly has in educating our students.”