Signed by Governor Bill Lee

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that authorizes the state to oversee and govern underperforming school districts in Tennessee.

Highlights:

• Authorizes state intervention in Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in which at least 50% of students are economically disadvantaged and fail to meet grade-level expectations in math and English (Sec. 1).

• Establishes an advisory board of managers for each LEA that meets the underperformance criteria, made up of the following members (Sec. 1):

• Three members appointed by the governor;

• Two members appointed by the speaker of the senate;

• Two members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

• The mayor of the county in which the LEA is located, or their designee; and

• If applicable, the mayor of the city in which the LEA is located, or their designee.

• Requires each advisory board of managers to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and transformation plan with specific academic and operational goals for the LEA that they are assigned to (Sec. 1).

• Requires advisory boards of managers to review and approve any district contracts valued at $50,000 or more in the LEA they are assigned to (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to recommend one or more of the following intervention actions for LEAs that meet the underperformance criteria (Sec. 1):

• Replacement of the director of schools for the LEA;

• Replacement of some or all of the local board of education members for the LEA; and

• Conversion of one or more of the existing public schools in the LEA to a public charter school.

• Authorizes a sponsor to apply to the local board of education or directly to the public charter school commission to establish a new public charter school in an LEA that meets the underperformance criteria (Sec. 8).

• Authorizes a sponsor who applies directly to the public charter school commission to establish a new public charter school to remedy any deficiencies that result in a denial of the application within 30 days and submit an amended application (Sec. 10).

• Requires enrollment preference for a newly established public charter school in an LEA that meets underperformance criteria to be given to students who reside in the former school zone of the converted public school (Sec. 10).

• Specifies that this Act, with the exception of Sections 3-6, takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 13).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that authorizes the state to oversee and govern underperforming school districts in Tennessee.

Highlights:

• Authorizes state intervention in Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in which at least 50% of students are economically disadvantaged and fail to meet grade-level expectations in math and English (Sec. 1).

• Establishes an advisory board of managers for each LEA that meets the underperformance criteria, made up of the following members (Sec. 1):

• Three members appointed by the governor;

• Two members appointed by the speaker of the senate;

• Two members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

• The mayor of the county in which the LEA is located, or their designee; and

• If applicable, the mayor of the city in which the LEA is located, or their designee.

• Requires each advisory board of managers to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and transformation plan with specific academic and operational goals for the LEA that they are assigned to (Sec. 1).

• Requires advisory boards of managers to review and approve any district contracts valued at $50,000 or more in the LEA they are assigned to (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to recommend one or more of the following intervention actions for LEAs that meet the underperformance criteria (Sec. 1):

• Replacement of the director of schools for the LEA;

• Replacement of some or all of the local board of education members for the LEA; and

• Conversion of one or more of the existing public schools in the LEA to a public charter school.

• Authorizes a sponsor to apply to the local board of education or directly to the public charter school commission to establish a new public charter school in an LEA that meets the underperformance criteria (Sec. 8).

• Authorizes a sponsor who applies directly to the public charter school commission to establish a new public charter school to remedy any deficiencies that result in a denial of the application within 30 days and submit an amended application (Sec. 10).

• Requires enrollment preference for a newly established public charter school in an LEA that meets underperformance criteria to be given to students who reside in the former school zone of the converted public school (Sec. 10).

• Specifies that this Act, with the exception of Sections 3-6, takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 13).

Full Bill Text