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HB 2300

Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) - As introduced, expands the category of students who are considered economically disadvantaged for purposes of generating a weighted allocation through the TISA funding formula to include students who are enrolled in the state's medicaid program. - Amends TCA Title 49.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Tennessee bill adds Medicaid enrollment as economic disadvantage indicator to increase weighted state funding for schools serving low-income students.

P2C, ref. to Education Committee
#tennesseeinvestmentinstudentachievement(tisa)
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Bill Summary · HB 2300

Legislative bill overview

HB 2300 expands Tennessee's TISA (Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement) funding formula to classify students enrolled in Medicaid as economically disadvantaged. This expansion would increase the weighted allocation—additional state funding—that schools receive for educating low-income students, as Medicaid enrollment becomes an additional indicator of economic disadvantage alongside traditional metrics.

Why is this important

School funding in Tennessee is tied to student characteristics, with schools receiving more money per student when serving economically disadvantaged populations. By adding Medicaid enrollment as a marker of economic disadvantage, this bill could redirect more state education dollars to schools serving lower-income communities, potentially affecting resource allocation across districts and individual school budgets.

Potential points of contention

  • Accuracy of proxy: Medicaid enrollment may not perfectly align with actual economic need—some enrolled students may have other resources, while some disadvantaged students may not be enrolled, creating potential over- or under-funding mismatches
  • Fiscal impact: Expanding the disadvantaged category increases the state's weighted funding obligations, requiring either higher total education spending or redistribution from other funding categories, affecting budget priorities
  • Data coordination: Implementation requires reliable data-sharing between health and education agencies (Medicaid programs and schools), raising privacy, administrative burden, and data accuracy concerns

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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