Understanding TISA's "Weights": How Funding is Tailored for Student Needs in Tennessee
By Sky Arnold | Published on June 16, 2025
A central feature of the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Act is its use of "weighted" funding. This system is the engine that drives TISA's student-centered approach, aiming to distribute education dollars more equitably by recognizing that the cost of educating every student is not the same. Unlike the previous resource-based BEP formula, TISA's weights provide additional, targeted funding for students with specific needs and characteristics. This article provides a detailed explanation of what these weights are, how they work, and why they are a cornerstone of Tennessee's new school funding landscape.
For a comprehensive overview of school funding, visit our main guide: Understanding Tennessee School Funding. For a detailed breakdown of the TISA formula, see: TISA Explained: A Deep Dive into Tennessee's Student-Based Funding Formula.
What Are Weighted Allocations?
In a student-based funding model like TISA, every student generates a foundational base funding amount (e.g., $6,860 for the 2023-24 school year). Weighted allocations are additional funds provided on top of that base amount. These "weights" are expressed as percentages of the base funding and are applied for students who fall into specific, defined categories, as detailed in the TDOE's TISA Quick Guide.
A crucial aspect of TISA's design is that these weights are not mutually exclusive. This means a single student can generate funding from multiple weighted categories if they meet the criteria for each. For example, a student with a disability who is also from a low-income family would generate the base funding amount plus the additional weighted funding for both of those characteristics.
A Detailed Breakdown of TISA's Five Weighted Categories
The TISA formula includes five primary categories of weighted funding, each designed to address a specific set of educational needs or circumstances, as outlined by the County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS).
1. Economically Disadvantaged Students (25% Weight)
Students from low-income backgrounds often face additional barriers to academic success. To help districts provide the necessary support, TISA applies a 25% weight to the base funding for each student identified as economically disadvantaged. This is one of the most significant weights in the formula, directing substantial resources to districts serving higher numbers of students in poverty.
2. Students in Areas of Concentrated Poverty (5% Weight)
In addition to individual student poverty, TISA recognizes the compounded challenges faced by schools located in communities with high concentrations of poverty. An additional 5% weight is applied for students residing in these areas. This acknowledges that the educational environment can be affected by community-wide factors and that schools in these areas may require extra resources to address systemic challenges.
3. Students in Small Districts (5% Weight)
Smaller school districts often lack the economies of scale that larger districts benefit from, which can make per-student costs for administration, specialized staff, and certain programs higher. To address this, TISA provides a 5% weight for students attending schools in smaller districts.
4. Students in Sparse Districts (5% Weight)
Similar to the small district weight, a 5% weight is applied for students in sparsely populated, typically rural, districts. This weight helps offset the unique costs associated with operating schools in these areas, such as higher transportation expenses over long distances and potential difficulties in recruiting and retaining specialized teachers and staff.
5. Students with Unique Learning Needs (15% to 150% Weight)
This is the most complex and varied weighted category, designed to provide nuanced funding for students who require more intensive or specialized educational services. The weight ranges from 15% to 150% of the base amount and covers several sub-groups, which are further detailed in a Comptroller's Office infographic:
- Students with Disabilities: TISA funds students across ten different categories of disability or student need. This tiered approach allows for more precise funding based on the level of support a student's specific disability may require, moving away from a one-size-fits-all model.
- English Learners (ELs): Recognizing that students at different stages of language acquisition need different levels of support, TISA funds ELs at three different levels: 20%, 50%, and 70% of the per-student base, depending on their measured English proficiency.
- Students with Characteristics of Dyslexia: This group is also included within the Unique Learning Needs category, ensuring additional resources are available for specialized literacy instruction and support.
The Goal of the Weighted System: Driving Equity and Adequacy
The primary purpose of TISA's weighted funding system is to advance equity and adequacy in Tennessee education. By allocating more money to support students who cost more to educate effectively, the formula aims to ensure that a student's zip code or individual circumstances do not limit their opportunity to receive a high-quality education. This targeted approach is intended to help close achievement gaps and provide districts with the financial flexibility to implement programs and hire staff best suited to their specific student populations.
Ongoing Discussions and Considerations
While the weighted model is seen by many as an improvement, it is not without ongoing discussion and debate:
- Generosity of Weights: Some analyses have questioned whether certain weights, such as the 5% for small and sparse districts, are generous enough to fully address the challenges those districts face.
- Incentives and "Labeling": A concern raised by some policymakers is whether a heavily weighted formula could create an unintended incentive for schools to over-identify or "label" students for certain categories to receive more funding, rather than focusing solely on providing the most appropriate educational supports.
Conclusion: The Engine of Student-Centered Funding
Understanding TISA's weighted allocations is essential to understanding the core of Tennessee's modern school funding strategy. This system is the primary mechanism through which the state attempts to deliver on the promise of a student-centered formula—one that is responsive, equitable, and tailored to the real-world needs of students in every school district. The effectiveness and calibration of these weights will continue to be a critical topic of analysis as TISA's impact on student outcomes becomes clearer over time.
For the complete picture of how schools are funded in Tennessee, please return to our main guide: Understanding Tennessee School Funding.