NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell says several programs that had been previously paid for with federal COVID money, called ESSER funds, will be continuing, even as that federal money dries up.
"The scholars portfolio that included Promising Scholars, I've heard from so many parents that their students got so much out of that," O'Connell said. "We've put a nurse in every school now, which was something we were looking for a long time to do. Public health has been part of that effort for a long time."
But how will those programs be paid for?
Metro Schools and the city have talked about building an ESSER bridge, instead of falling off a funding cliff, to keep the programs running.
At a Metro Schools budget committee meeting in March, Superintendent Adrienne Battle talked about paying for those programs and building that bridge by dipping into the school district's reserve funds.
Metro school leaders and others say they hope to incorporate those programs, like nurses for every school, as part of their recurring budgets in the years going forward.
Music lessons for just 50 cents! A Nashville music school has been providing that to area students for over 40 years including for the city's current mayor. As a child, I always wanted to take piano lessons. I was able to for about 6 months but had to stop due to family finances. I would have loved to have had access to a program like this at the W. O. Smith Music School.
- Lelan Statom
