Tennessee schools want more flexibility for summer camp, tutoring funds, officials say – Chalkbeat

Tennessee Department of Education Budget Proposal: A Focus on Sustainable Development Goals

Advancing Quality Education and Reducing Inequalities (SDG 4, SDG 10)

The Tennessee Department of Education has submitted a budget request that aligns with key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The proposal seeks to enhance educational outcomes and ensure equitable learning opportunities for all students.

• Funding Request: A $30 million increase is requested for academic support programming.
• Program Focus: The funds are intended to bolster initiatives aimed at improving student proficiency, directly contributing to SDG 4’s target of ensuring all children have access to quality primary education. These programs include:
  1. Summer Learning Camps
  2. Year-Round Tutoring
• Impact and Efficacy: Previous summer learning camps have demonstrated significant success in advancing educational goals.
  • Nearly 90,000 students were enrolled in the most recent camps.
  • The programs have resulted in “significant gains in proficiency,” serving as a critical pathway for students to meet state-mandated reading benchmarks.
  • This targeted intervention supports SDG 10 by providing additional resources to students at risk of falling behind, thereby reducing educational inequalities.
• Proposed Flexibility: Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds highlighted a need for greater flexibility, allowing local districts to allocate funds for either summer camps or tutoring throughout the school year based on specific community needs.

Promoting Decent Work and Gender Equality (SDG 8, SDG 5)

The budget proposal also includes provisions that support the state’s education workforce, aligning with SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

• Parental Leave Program Funding: An additional $2.6 million is requested for the department’s paid parental leave program.
• Program Contribution to SDGs:
  • This initiative promotes decent work conditions (SDG 8) for educators by providing essential benefits. In the last fiscal year, the program supported six weeks of paid leave for approximately 2,300 school district employees.
  • By offering paid parental leave, the program also advances gender equality (SDG 5), supporting working parents and promoting a more equitable balance of professional and family responsibilities.
• Justification for Increase: The requested increase is intended to cover projected growth in program participation and accommodate planned salary increases for educators.

Future Considerations for Educational Investment

Commissioner Reynolds noted that budget requests for several major educational line items are still under review as the department gathers further data. These pending items will be critical in shaping the state’s long-term commitment to quality and equitable education.

1. State Voucher Program Expansion
2. Overall Public Education Funding Formula

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article’s primary focus is on enhancing educational outcomes in Tennessee. It discusses a proposed $30 million funding increase for summer learning and tutoring programs specifically designed to help students, particularly rising fourth graders, meet state-mandated reading benchmarks. This directly addresses the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The article mentions a request for an additional $2.6 million for a paid parental leave program for school district employees. This initiative supports the creation of decent work conditions by protecting labor rights and providing social protections for workers, which is a core component of SDG 8.
3. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • While not the main focus, the provision of a paid parental leave program is intrinsically linked to SDG 5. Such policies are crucial for promoting shared responsibility for caregiving within the family, which helps to reduce the career penalties often faced by women and supports their full participation in the workforce.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.1: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.” The article’s discussion of summer learning camps and tutoring as “promotion pathways” for students who do not meet the benchmarks of the state’s third-grade reading law is a direct effort to ensure students achieve effective learning outcomes and can progress in their primary education.
2. Under SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Target 8.8: “Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers…” The paid parental leave program, which supported “around 2,300 employees,” is a social protection policy that directly contributes to protecting labor rights and creating a more secure working environment for educators and school staff.
3. Under SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • Target 5.4: “Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies…” The state-supported paid parental leave program is a social protection policy that formally recognizes the need for parents to take time for caregiving. By providing paid leave, it helps value this work and promotes a better balance between professional and family responsibilities.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for SDG 4 (Quality Education)
   • Proficiency Gains: The article explicitly states, “We’re seeing significant gains in proficiency in the summer learning pathway.” This implies that progress is being measured by tracking improvements in student academic proficiency, particularly in reading.
   • Participation Rate in Learning Programs: The article provides a specific number: “Tennessee summer learning camps this year enrolled nearly 90,000 students, 25% of whom were rising fourth graders.” This enrollment data serves as a direct indicator of the reach and scale of the educational interventions.
2. Indicators for SDG 8 & SDG 5 (Decent Work & Gender Equality)
   • Number of Beneficiaries of Social Protection Policies: The article notes that the paid parental leave program “supported six weeks of paid parental leave for around 2,300 employees at school districts in the last fiscal year.” This figure is a direct indicator of the number of workers benefiting from this labor protection policy.
   • Financial Allocation for Social Programs: The request for a “$30 million increase in summer learning funding” and an “additional $2.6 million for the department’s paid parental leave program” serve as financial indicators of the government’s commitment to and investment in these educational and social protection initiatives.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: chalkbeat.org