A new federal government study says there are more than 8,000 people enrolled in the TUSLA Education Welfare Society (EWS) program, which provides financial assistance to about 500,000 Tennessee children.
The report says the government estimates that there are 3,600 children currently enrolled in TUSLAs education welfare programs.
“TUSLAS students and their families are often left behind,” says the report, “with many of their resources being diverted to other state and federal programs.”
TUSlas welfare programs are funded by federal, state and local governments, and state and county governments are responsible for paying for them.
In a press release announcing the report’s release, TUSla said that the $2.4 billion the state has spent on the program is the largest single allocation of federal funds for education.
“For the past five years, the Tennessee General Assembly has enacted legislation to create and expand TUSLS, and we are confident that the legislation will continue to be effective in helping to expand and modernize our public schools and communities,” said Chris Sibley, chief executive officer of TUSLC, in a statement.
The Tennessee Department of Education released a statement in response to the report: “The TUSLEA Education Welfare System is an effective way for Tennessee’s public schools to provide a quality education for children and families in a caring and safe environment.
The State is working with the federal government to develop new strategies to improve the performance of our TUSLP programs, and is committed to continuing to work with the U.S. Department of Justice, state attorneys general, the Governor’s Office of Children and Families, and local law enforcement and education leaders to ensure our students and families are protected.”
TUSlates welfare program, TESLA, provides financial aid to children enrolled in Tennessee’s TUSELAs education program, a $2,400 monthly stipend for families, and additional support for parents with children in school.
The government’s study says the program has helped educate more than 7,200 students since it opened in 2016.
The Department of Labor’s Office on Family and Children found that while TUSLBAs educational welfare programs have a high failure rate, only 8 percent of students who have received assistance were suspended or expelled.
TUSBAs educational programs help low-income students succeed in school, but the program also has a high number of students suspended and expelled.
According to the U-M report, TUSD’s TESLP programs are responsible a large portion of TUSDs total school funding.
In the report from the federal Department of Agriculture, the agency says TUSD has spent nearly $10.5 billion on its TUSD education programs.