Enhancing school safety?

Hello and welcome to School Zone. This is education reporter Meghan Mangrum.

School's out for the summer in Nashville, but that doesn't mean there's a shortage of education news. Let's check out some of this week's top stories.

Gov. Lee addresses school shootings, safety

As school safety and gun control continue to dominate headlines following a mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas, Gov. Bill Lee officially joined the debate Monday.

The governor signed Executive Order 97, which is aimed at enhancing school security by requiring state agencies to provide more guidance around safety protocols, developing required training for school security guards and beefing up other existing school safety practices.

But the order doesn't mention guns, and the Republican governor has rejected efforts to restrict access to guns.

Many Democrats and school leaders have criticized the move, with state Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, calling the order "toothless."

Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, said she was disappointed in the governor but not surprised.

"Taking action to reduce gun violence shouldn't come down to party politics. This is a clear emergency, and we must act now. We cannot allow another person to be murdered in a school, grocery store or place of worship," she said.

Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Adrienne Battle — who has been outspoken about the need to curb gun violence in and outside of schools — affirmed that schools already follow many of the practices outlined in the executive order.

"The governor’s executive order focuses on reviewing and updating security plans, which is something we do as a district on a frequent basis on the school and district level to ensure our safety and emergency response plans follow established national best practices for school safety," district spokesperson Sean Braisted said in an email.

Lee and other leaders are again encouraging schools to use security cameras and lock doors, and are emphasizing the importance of school resource officers. But many educators say schools are doing all they can to protect children.

The Tennessean's statehouse reporter Adam Friedman has more on the governor's executive order here.

Keep reading to find out more about how Metro Schools tries to keep students safe on campus.

Public comment period for proposed TISA rules now open through August

The Tennessee Department of Education is asking the public to weigh in on draft rules for the state's new school funding formula, and some education advocates are already rallying to submit their comments.

The state education department released draft rules for the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act, the legislation behind the state's new K-12 education funding formula, yesterday. The rulemaking process is the next step in enacting the new law, which was hustled through this year's legislative session by Gov. Bill Lee.

The draft rules address areas of the law like the definitions for students who are considered economically disadvantaged or what students are considered to have "characteristics of dyslexia."

And those portions of the draft rules already have some disability advocates riled.

Anna Thorsen, a longtime disability rights advocate, said the proposed definition for those students under TISA varies from how state law and the TN Dyslexia Guide currently define students with dyslexia.

In an email to members of the Tennessee Dyslexia Advisory Council Monday night, Thorsen said she was worried the proposed rules "are much more restrictive than the law," could create barriers for students to receive services and "create massive red-tape" for districts.

Check out the draft rules and find out more on how to submit public comments here.

MNPS is looking for an additional $22.6 million

Despite Nashville Mayor John Cooper's $92 million proposal for additional funding for schools in next year's budget, Metro Nashville Public Schools' proposed budget is $22.6 million short, and school officials are asking Metro Council to fill the gap.

The district points to a decrease in state funding to blame for the shortfall. Metro Schools' Chief Finance Officer Chris Henson said the shortfall is a "surprise" and an "emergency situation."

During a budget hearing last week, Henson suggested Metro Council use a portion of the city's growing fund balance — its operating fund reserves — to bridge the gap, but Metro Finance Director Kelly Flannery has cautioned against pulling funds from those reserves to continue shoring up Nashville's finances after years of instability.

The debate over how to make up for the shortfall comes as some also criticize current allocations for pay raises for district employees, especially support staff.

Tonight, the public is invited to weigh in on the city's budget proposal at a Metro Council meeting starting at 6:30 p.m.

My colleague Cassandra Stephenson, the Tennessean's Metro reporter, explains the city's options for finding an additional $22.6 million here. Keep reading to find out more about the current budget proposal.

Cassandra will also be covering tonight's Metro Council meeting. Follow her on Twitter @CStephenson731 for updates.

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Extra credit

► With students walking out of class to call for gun law reform following last month's massacre in Uvalde, a "March for Our Lives" rally in Nashville is planned for this Saturday, June 11, coinciding with a national day of action. The organization, formed after a 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, spawned chapters of youth advocates nationwide calling for gun control.

► Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn is again traveling the state this summer on the second annual "Accelerating TN Summer Bus Tour." Over the next few weeks, the state's top schools chief will visit 50 school districts to spotlight summer learning opportunities and meet with educators and community leaders. On Monday, Schwinn talked school funding with local officials and school leaders in Hamilton County. Read more from the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

► Fifty years after Title IX passed,, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools, passed, colleges and universities are still falling short when it comes to providing women equitable opportunities, especially in athletics. A USA TODAY analysis recently found wide gaps persist between women's enrollment and college athletic opportunities. Keep reading and check out my colleagues' findings here.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Enhancing school safety?