The number of students who actually attend schools in the district.

ADM is defined in Tennessee Code as “sum of total number of students enrolled divided by the number of days school is in session during this period.”  It is the primary variable that provides funds generated by BEP.

A funding formula that the state defines as sufficient funds to provide a basic level of education for TN PK-12 students. One of the driving forces behind Tennessee’s BEP is to improve equity, not equality, in funding among the state’s current 136 school districts. This is consistent with such systems across the nation, many of which have been challenged through litigation related to fiscal equity and equal educational opportunity across a state’s districts that may vary considerably in wealth and ability to fund local education.

TCA §7-51-908 - Municipalities, countties, or school systems may contract among themselves for matters concerning education.

Under a typical foundation program, the state sets both a minimum local tax rate that must be charged to local residents, and a minimum spending level (known as the foundation amount). The state provides funding to make up for any shortfall between the revenue collected using the minimum tax rate and the expenditure required to reach the foundation amount.  For Collierville, it represents $0.15 worth of Property Tax.

Taxes are collected and then the education portion of the tax (as determined by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners) must be distributed between all the school districts within the county based on the number students in attendance according to Average daily Attendance or ADA.