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Legislative Update
The 113th Tennessee General Assembly convened in January, and again this year preK-12 education is a top priority for the state’s legislators. Over 350 bills impacting education were filed, many of which will be of interest to those who value arts education.
Below is a brief summary of the proposed bills that may impact arts education that ArtsEd Tennessee is currently following:
Class Size: SB0197/HB089 repeals from the state code requirements for maximum class size and student-teacher ratios. The bill authorizes each school district to establish the maximum class sizes for its schools without input from the state. This bill has passed in the Senate, and is currently being considered in the House.
Arming School Personnel: HB1202/SB1325 would authorize a faculty or staff member of a school to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds subject to certain conditions, including obtaining an enhanced handgun carry permit and completing annual training.
Voucher Expansion: SB0012/HB0433 would expand Tennessee's education savings account (ESA) program to include students zoned in a district with at least five schools identified in the bottom 10 percent, which would expand the program to include Hamilton County Schools. The ESA program allows eligible students to use state and local money toward education expenses, as well as tuition or fees at approved private schools.
Paid Maternity Leave: SB1458/HB983 would require school systems to provide licensed employees six paid work weeks after the birth or stillbirth of the employee's child or the employee's adoption of a newly placed minor child.
Summer Learning Camps: SB249/HB68 would make summer learning camps permanent and expand the program to include students entering the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth grade. This bill, as approved in the Senate Education committee, would provide state funds for the learning camps.
Instructional Supplies Funds: SB0024/HB0007 increases from $200 to $300 the amount each LEA and public charter school is required to pay each teacher in kindergarten through grade 12 for the purchase of instructional supplies for the 2023-2024 school year.
Third Grade Retention: The Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act ,HB0107/SB1306, took effect this school year. The law was passed in the previous session but continues to remain a topic of concern for some in the education community. The law prohibits a student from being promoted to the next grade level without achieving a passing grade on the ELA portion of TCAP. Opponents of the law argue that retention is an expensive intervention with long-term negative impacts.
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