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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tennessee Educational Funding and Policy Officially Launches to Address Systemic Inequity
Tennessee Educational Funding and Policy (TNEFP) is a new nonprofit research organization dedicated to advancing equity in school finance through rigorous spatial analysis. Following approval from the Tennessee Secretary of State (CO54645), TNEFP is now authorized to begin its mission to inform public policy and promote equitable funding models across the state.

Rajah Smart
7 days ago2 min read


Beyond the Map: Standardizing the Spatial Echo in Tennessee Education
The landscape of Middle Tennessee is transforming at an unprecedented rate. As Nashville, Clarksville, and Murfreesboro expand, the physical boundaries of our communities are shifting, yet the structural frameworks governing our schools often remain tethered to the past.

Rajah Smart
7 days ago2 min read


The $82 Million Ghost: How a 1937 Map is Still Bankrupting Flint Schools
My study analyzes the "Flint Cluster"—the urban core and its surrounding suburbs—through the lens of Critical Geography. By overlaying modern school finance data onto the 1937 Homeowners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) redlining maps, a startling pattern emerges.

Rajah Smart
Dec 11, 20252 min read


A Critical Examination of Educational Finance: The Tennessee Center for Educational Finance and Policy's Foundational Michigan Research and Strategic Replication in Tennessee
The Tennessee Center for Educational Finance and Policy (TNEFP) operates as a research hub committed to a rigorous, justice-oriented analysis of public school funding systems.

Rajah Smart
Aug 14, 202513 min read
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