What This Could Mean for Tennessee
In August, we wrote about a related change coming to the Department of Education: ESEA waivers. At the time, the administration was encouraging states to apply for waivers to the federal law that oversees funding for K-12 schools around the country, which includes Title I funds. This would have provided the funds to the states in the form of a block grant to administer as they pleased.
There are, understandably, several concerns about what these changes to federal education policy could mean for students of color, disabled students, Native American students, and female students. As it stands, there is no reshuffling of the Office for Civil Rights or the programs that provide $15 billion to support disabled students. The department, however, has stated that they are still exploring options to move them in the future.
As we mentioned in August, this may also present an opportunity for states to innovate and change the landscape of education to fit the needs of their population. We have spoken ad nauseum about the need to integrate our early childhood, K-12, and postsecondary systems to create a “cradle-to-career” pipeline that eliminates barriers, streamlines funding sources, and fosters innovation through cross-sector partnerships—although there are inherent risks for such broad changes, perhaps they can also enable more coordination across agencies. In Tennessee, as we also look ahead to a new administration in 2027, Seeding Success will actively work towards solutions that better position Shelby County and TN for the future.
