State Sen. Jim Tracy

State Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) said last week that he was pleased that money was included in the newly-passed lottery excess fund implementation plan to address capital improvement needs for K-12 schools. The bill sends $90 to $100 million in the excess funds for an Energy Efficient Schools Program that will allow for capital improvements that benefit energy efficiency.

"Sen. Tracy was instrumental in helping the legislature realize the importance of helping our K-12 schools with capital improvement needs in this tight budget year," said Senate Finance Chairman Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge). "This is very important to our K-12 schools. Sen. Tracy has championed this cause for the past two years, and with his leadership it was accomplished."

The proposal partners the state with TVA, Oak Ridge Laboratory, and other energy experts by setting up a Council that would guide schools in energy-saving options. The Council would set up the rules for distribution of the funds, which would come in the form of grants and loans. The Council could also tap into federal grants from TVA and the Department of Energy that are available for such "green energy" programs. The program could result in a savings of 18.5% on energy bills if the schools implement the upgrades and utilize some of the best practices for energy conservation. The measure is expected to save an estimated $29 million in energy costs for Tennessee schools annually when fully implemented.

"These funds will aid in freeing up money for good quality classrooms for our schools," said Tracy. "We have far too many students in portables and our local schools need this relief."

The constitutional amendment creating Tennessee's lottery scholarship program adopted in 2002 approved the use of excess dollars for three purposes. The amendment listed K-12 construction as the first purpose, new Pre-Kindergarten classes as the second, and after school programs as the third. McNally said the Energy Efficient Schools program would fall under the K-12 construction provision, which is the only facet of the amendment yet to be enacted, even though it was listed first on the ballot.

"The lottery excess implementation plan provides 12,000 more students with college scholarship opportunities," Tracy said. "The 2.75 GPA has been extended through the end of the junior year and a fresh start provision will greatly help those in their senior year who now will not have the mathematical challenge of having a 3.0 cumulative average going into the senior year. The implementation plan also has the potential to benefit the 950,000 K-12 students who attend K-12 schools in Tennessee, providing some capital improvement relief. I am pleased that it was included in the legislation."