Tennessee school districts are poised to receive a historic infusion of cash from the latest and largest federal pandemic relief package, with high-poverty districts benefiting the most.
School systems will receive more than $2.2 billion of Tennessee’s nearly $2.5 billion share for K-12 schools from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, according to a list of allocations released Friday by the state education department.
The state will get the remainder of the money to create and support learning-related resources and programs.
As with last year’s two federal stimulus plans, which totaled $1.5 billion for Tennessee schools, the new plan will give more money to districts with more students from low-income families.
Shelby County Schools in Memphis will receive more than $503 million, the largest allocation in the state. Metropolitan Nashville Public Public Schools is due more than $277 million. Districts in Knoxville and Chattanooga are to receive $114 million and $91 million, respectfully.
Federal law requires spending a fifth of the money for programs and resources designed to catch up students from possible pandemic-related learning lags. The rest is to address other pandemic-related needs, but district leaders will have broad discretion on what to prioritize. The spending list could include technology, student mental health services, and school building improvements to reduce risk of virus transmission, among other things.
“I think people understand both the excitement and the gravity of this opportunity,” Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn told Chalkbeat last month as Congress prepared to approve the latest plan. “We’ve never had anything like this amount of relief funding in such a short period of time. It is our moment in time to really invest wisely.”
Federal law says all of the money is available through the end of September 2023. However, districts may get an extra year to spend or allocate the funds, which would make the actual deadline September 2024.
Below, look up how much your district is expected to receive.
| District | ESSER 3.0 Allocation |
|---|---|
| ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOL DISTRICT | $55,198,034.84 |
| ALAMO CITY SCHOOLS | $906,335.98 |
| ALCOA CITY SCHOOLs | $2,146,024.57 |
| ANDERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $11,704,957.98 |
| ARLINGTON CITY SCHOOLS | $6,592,510.24 |
| ATHENS CITY SCHOOLS | $5,323,860.58 |
| BARTLETT CITY SCHOOLS | $17,630,335.11 |
| BEDFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS | $15,927,411.96 |
| BELLS CITY SCHOOLS | $781,010.64 |
| BENTON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $5,955,621.85 |
| BLEDSOE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $5,028,191.89 |
| BLOUNT COUNTY SCHOOLS | $16,921,351.81 |
| BRADFORD SPECIAL SCHOOLS | $686,523.08 |
| BRADLEY COUNTY SCHOOLS | $15,709,700.96 |
| BRISTOL CITY SCHOOLS | $8,331,450.81 |
| CAMPBELL COUNTY SCHOOLS | $15,824,276.61 |
| CANNON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $3,595,827.33 |
| CARTER COUNTY SCHOOLS | $15,034,317.91 |
| CHEATHAM COUNTY SCHOOLS | $6,216,226.47 |
| CHESTER COUNTY SCHOOLS | $4,871,721.01 |
| CLAIBORNE COUNTY SCHOOLs | $11,595,629.56 |
| CLAY COUNTY SCHOOLS | $3,266,978.76 |
| CLEVELAND CITY SCHOOLS | $12,177,478.39 |
| CLINTON CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS | $1,514,886.35 |
| COCKE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $15,192,004.87 |
| COFFEE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $8,370,808.75 |
| COLLIERVILLE CITY SCHOOLS | $16,014,595.45 |
| CROCKETT COUNTY SCHOOLS | $3,233,190.84 |
| CUMBERLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS | $15,137,618.41 |
| METROPOLITAN NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS | $276,736,466.07 |
| DAYTON CITY SCHOOLS | $2,490,367.08 |
| DECATUR COUNTY SCHOOLS | $3,578,824.52 |
| DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT | $6,694,579.64 |
| DICKSON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT | $13,378,146.86 |
| DYER COUNTY SCHOOLS | $6,205,461.78 |
| DYERSBURG CITY SCHOOLS | $8,982,226.71 |
| ELIZABETHTON CITY SCHOOLS | $5,659,315.09 |
| ETOWAH CITY SCHOOLS | $949,116.99 |
| FAYETTE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $8,989,215.50 |
| Local Educational Agency | ESSER 3.0 Allocation |
| FAYETTEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS | $2,723,226.72 |
| FENTRESS COUNTY SCHOOLS | $6,738,404.09 |
| FRANKLIN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $9,769,107.64 |
| FRANKLIN SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | $2,974,297.76 |
| GERMANTOWN CITY SCHOOLS | $11,307,497.65 |
| GIBSON SPECIAL DISTRICT | $3,539,429.05 |
| GILES COUNTY SCHOOLS | $7,695,740.98 |
| GRAINGER COUNTY SCHOOLS | $7,397,159.67 |
| GREENE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $14,723,890.93 |
| GREENEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS | $4,578,492.02 |
| GRUNDY COUNTY SCHOOLS | $5,307,676.01 |
| HAMBLEN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $20,173,061.82 |
| HAMILTON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $91,025,240.10 |
| HANCOCK COUNTY SCHOOLS | $4,238,450.88 |
| HARDEMAN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $9,460,324.64 |
| HARDIN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $9,169,587.89 |
| HAWKINS COUNTY SCHOOLS | $16,401,088.41 |
| HAYWOOD COUNTY SCHOOLS | $7,397,302.30 |
| HENDERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $6,736,662.52 |
| HENRY COUNTY SCHOOLS | $7,863,862.34 |
| HICKMAN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $7,854,126.08 |
| HOLLOW ROCK-BRUCETON SCHOOL DISTRICT | $1,788,500.19 |
| HOUSTON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $2,702,785.82 |
| HUMBOLDT CITY SCHOOLS | $4,435,285.59 |
| HUMPHREYS COUNTY SCHOOLS | $5,044,203.80 |
| HUNTINGDON SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | $3,048,351.93 |
| JACKSON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $3,920,689.80 |
| JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $14,091,303.91 |
| JOHNSON CITY SCHOOLS | $13,881,917.90 |
| JOHNSON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $5,994,514.37 |
| KINGSPORT CITY SCHOOLS | $17,075,503.09 |
| KNOX COUNTY SCHOOLS | $114,112,117.74 |
| LAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $3,322,311.08 |
| LAKELAND CITY SCHOOLS | $2,854,317.24 |
| LAUDERDALE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $13,389,602.17 |
| LAWRENCE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $15,665,884.01 |
| LEBANON SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | $4,876,525.34 |
| LENOIR CITY SCHOOLS | $2,919,288.24 |
| LEWIS COUNTY SCHOOLS | $4,215,960.63 |
| Local Educational Agency | ESSER 3.0 Allocation |
| LEXINGTON CITY SCHOOL | $1,920,851.84 |
| LINCOLN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $5,849,761.55 |
| LOUDON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $6,785,148.68 |
| MACON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $8,858,980.75 |
| MADISON CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL | $37,688,295.80 |
| MANCHESTER CITY SCHOOLS | $3,025,891.71 |
| MARION COUNTY SCHOOLS | $8,085,679.54 |
| MARSHALL COUNTY SCHOOLS | $8,164,943.41 |
| MARYVILLE CITY SCHOOLS | $4,097,098.62 |
| MAURY COUNTY SCHOOLS | $18,181,045.91 |
| MCKENZIE SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | $2,500,583.78 |
| MCMINN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $11,226,447.18 |
| MCNAIRY COUNTY SCHOOLS | $9,360,830.06 |
| MEIGS COUNTY SCHOOLS | $4,022,323.80 |
| MILAN CITY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | $3,516,983.84 |
| MILLINGTON CITY SCHOOLS | $7,131,788.25 |
| MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $11,015,950.17 |
| MONTGOMERY COUNTY SCHOOLS | $58,471,762.18 |
| MOORE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $964,716.03 |
| MORGAN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $6,526,608.41 |
| MURFREESBORO CITY SCHOOLS | $12,671,280.46 |
| NEWPORT CITY SCHOOLS | $4,537,925.50 |
| OAK RIDGE CITY SCHOOLS | $7,008,669.91 |
| OBION COUNTY SCHOOLS | $5,838,276.21 |
| ONEIDA SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | $2,373,088.99 |
| OVERTON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $6,214,574.99 |
| PARIS CITY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | $4,395,905.14 |
| PERRY COUNTY SCHOOLS | $3,320,066.56 |
| PICKETT COUNTY SCHOOLS | $1,358,272.85 |
| POLK COUNTY SCHOOLS | $4,737,913.05 |
| PUTNAM COUNTY SCHOOLS | $20,676,389.97 |
| RHEA COUNTY SCHOOLS | $9,729,742.20 |
| RICHARD CITY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | $578,680.99 |
| ROANE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $13,259,577.61 |
| ROBERTSON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $14,762,182.91 |
| ROGERSVILLE CITY SCHOOLS | $1,871,172.12 |
| RUTHERFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS | $43,774,580.29 |
| SCOTT COUNTY SCHOOLS | $7,987,378.54 |
| SEQUATCHIE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $4,979,360.42 |
| Local Educational Agency | ESSER 3.0 Allocation |
| SEVIER COUNTY SCHOOLS | $27,523,341.79 |
| SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOLS | $503,145,852.64 |
| SMITH COUNTY SCHOOLS | $4,919,156.22 |
| SOUTH CARROLL SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | $865,882.05 |
| TENNESSEE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL COMMISSION | $3,844,150.89 |
| STEWART COUNTY SCHOOLS | $3,648,494.74 |
| SULLIVAN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $20,610,150.34 |
| SUMNER COUNTY SCHOOLS | $31,463,481.60 |
| SWEETWATER CITY SCHOOLS | $3,034,329.31 |
| TENNESSEE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND | $1,196,524.73 |
| TENNESSEE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF | $1,781,091.02 |
| TIPTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT | $17,841,500.22 |
| TRENTON SPECIAL SCHOOLS | $2,882,182.33 |
| TROUSDALE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $2,156,721.70 |
| TULLAHOMA CITY SCHOOLS | $7,077,371.76 |
| UNICOI SCHOOLS | $4,691,566.32 |
| UNION CITY SCHOOLS | $5,047,859.59 |
| UNION COUNTY SCHOOLS | $7,923,593.62 |
| VAN BUREN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $2,059,494.16 |
| WARREN COUNTY SCHOOLS | $18,725,991.53 |
| WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $11,963,190.47 |
| WAYNE COUNTY SCHOOLS | $4,803,019.16 |
| WEAKLEY COUNTY SCHOOLS | $8,694,049.76 |
| WEST CARROLL SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | $2,331,749.28 |
| WEST TENNESSEE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF | $344,665.30 |
| WHITE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT | $8,746,589.56 |
| WILLIAMSON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $5,222,354.19 |
| WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS | $12,554,039.91 |
| YORK INSTITUTE | $1,338,852.87 |
| Total Flowthrough to Districts | $2,238,874,272.90 |
Sam Park contributed to this story.
