Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA)
In 2022, the General Assembly approved a new state funding formula for K-12 schools to replace the Basic Education Program (BEP). The Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) is a student-based funding formula that was used to allocate state funds to school districts beginning with the 2023-24 school year. Like the BEP, TISA is a funding formula rather than a spending plan.
TISA has four components: base funding, weighted funding, direct funding, and outcomes funding.
Like the BEP, TISA continues the requirement for local matching funds. Collectively, districts are responsible for 30 percent of the base funding and weighted funding amounts generated by TISA. The state provides the other 70 percent. For the direct funding component and the outcomes funding component, however, the state provides 100 percent of the funds.
This special online collection contains resources about TISA, including an interactive dashboard, a video tutorial, a flowchart, infographics, and other documents.
March 2023
March 2023
TISA Overview
TISA Infographics
The infographic shows an overview of TISA funding at the state level. It includes a breakdown of TISA funding by component, the total funding provided by the state and the local match requirement, as well as a map of each county's fiscal capacity.
The infographic provides an overview of the Unique Learning Needs (ULN) category of the TISA weighted funding component. Students with disabilities, English learners, and students with characteristics of dyslexia generate additional funding through the ULN weight.
The infographic provides an overview of the weighted funding component of the TISA funding formula. Weighted funding provides districts with additional funding for students based on their individual characteristics. The weighted funding category has a split of 70 percent state funds and 30 percent local funds.
The infographic provides an overview of the direct funding component of the TISA calculation. Direct funding is intended to support students in key priority areas, like K-3 literacy and grade 4 literacy support. Direct funding is 100 percent state-funded and does not require a local contribution.
The infographic provides an overview of the outcomes funding component of the TISA calculation. Outcomes funding provides districts with additional funding based on student academic performance. Outcomes funding is 100 percent state-funded and does not require a local contribution.
The infographic provides an overview of how fiscal capacity is calculated and applied to the local match requirement under TISA. Fiscal capacity estimates the ability of a county to contribute financially to K-12 education.
This recap is a timeline highlighting key dates in the transition from Tennessee’s former K-12 funding formula, the Basic Education Program (BEP), to TISA.
This Research Recap highlights direct funding, one of the funding formula’s four components.
This Research Recap highlights weighted funding, one of the funding formula’s four components.
For the 2025-26 school year, close to $7 billion state dollars were budgeted for TISA. This research recap breaks down this funding for TISA’s first three years.
This Research Recap looks at outcomes funding, one of the funding formula’s four components.
This Research Recap shows annual budgetary increases for Tennessee’s K-12 funding formula over the last 10 years.
This recap includes 2025-2026 fiscal capacity for school districts and the change in fiscal capacity from the prior year (2024-2025).