$1.8M update

This morning's Nashville City Paper has some additional information about the $1.8 million mentioned here yesterday. Unfortunately the article doesn't explain why the money is sitting in escrow and needs council intervention to get to the schools. See the post below for that explanation straight from the Metro Council Agenda.

Keep in mind that these aren't NAPE (Nashville Alliance for Public Education) raised funds--they're acting as a conduit for the cash. Thanks to them for the help around this legal bar. I'd link to NAPE but I can't seem to find a web site. [Update: Thanks to Eric for the URL for NAPE. Does MNPS host the websites of other non-profits?.]

[Councilman Charlie] Tygard has proposed via a resolution that $1.8 million be given as a grant to the Nashville Alliance for Public Education (NAPE) for equal distribution among Metro’s 132 schools. The money, about $15,000 per school, would be used to purchase technology equipment and science lab supplies.

Today, a letter crafted by Tygard goes in the mail addressed to principals, asking them to quantify how they would use the grants.

and this :

School Board Chairwoman Pam Garrett is a non-voting member of the NAPE Board of Directors. She said Metro Schools has given the Alliance a list that prioritizes the district’s needs – music, science and reading.