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HB0030 • 2026

Education

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to language assistance for students.

Education Taxes
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Clemmons, Akbari
Last action
2026-03-30
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not provide details on implementation and funding, leaving these aspects unclear.

Language Help for English Learners During Tests

This bill allows students who are learning English to get help during TCAP tests if they got that help in class during the school year, starting from the 2026-2027 school year.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows English language learners (ELL) to receive language assistance services while taking TCAP tests or end-of-course assessments, as long as it doesn't invalidate their test scores.
  • Defines 'language assistance services' as support provided by teachers who are trained in teaching English as a second language.

Who It Names or Affects

  • English language learners (ELL) students
  • Teachers who provide language assistance services

Terms To Know

English Language Learner (ELL)
A student who is learning to speak English and needs extra help in school.
TCAP test
Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, a set of tests given to students in Tennessee schools.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if language assistance services invalidate the assessment.
  • It is unclear how this change will be implemented and funded by school districts.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0030

Plain English: The amendment changes when and how a specific education law will be applied, focusing on language assistance for students taking TCAP tests.

  • Removes the original Section 2 of the bill and replaces it with new content that specifies the effective date and application period for the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) tests.
  • The amendment text does not provide details about what specific language assistance will be provided to students.
  • It is unclear from this amendment how exactly the language assistance provisions in HB0030 will be implemented or enforced.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1213

Plain English: The amendment changes when and how a specific education law will be applied, focusing on language assistance for students taking TCAP tests.

  • Removes the original Section 2 of Senate Bill No. 1213 and replaces it with new content.
  • The amendment text does not provide details about what specific changes are made to language assistance for students, only when the act will take effect and apply to TCAP tests starting in the 2026-2027 school year.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  2. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  5. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  7. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 84, Nays 2, PNV 0

  8. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0822)

  9. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  10. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/30/2026

  11. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026

  12. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  13. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  14. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  15. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 1

  17. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0685)

  18. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/24/2026

  19. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Education Committee

  20. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/19/2026

  21. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/17/2026

  22. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0

  23. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/17/2026

  24. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/11/2026

  25. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/10/2026

  26. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/10/2026

  27. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/3/2026

  28. 2026-01-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2026-01-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  30. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c K-12 Subcommittee of Education Committee

  31. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/25/2025

  32. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/25/2025

  33. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/18/2025

  34. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/18/2025

  35. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/11/2025

  36. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  37. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  38. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  39. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  40. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c K-12 Subcommittee

  41. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Education Committee

  42. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

  43. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  44. 2024-12-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 19, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASS SENATE BILL 1213, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 m
akes this bill apply to the administration of TCAP tests beginning
in the 2026-2027 school year
instead of beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1213
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 30
By Clemmons
HB0030
000531
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to language assistance for students.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-6001(j), is amended by
designating the existing language as subdivision (1) and adding the following new subdivision:
(2)
(A) A student who is an English language learner (ELL) and who
received language assistance services in the classroom during the school year
must be allowed to receive the same language assistance services while taking a
TCAP test or an end-of-course assessment, required by the state board of
education under subsection (a), as long as the receipt of language assistance
services does not invalidate the assessment.
(B) As used in this subdivision (j)(2), "language assistance services"
means services:
(i) Designed for speakers of languages other than English that
are provided pursuant to an individual learning plan (ILP) by a teacher
with an English as a second language endorsement to ELL students; or
(ii) That provide linguistically and academically appropriate
accommodations and scaffolding pursuant to an ELL student's ILP that
are provided by a general education teacher in the general education
classroom to ELL students whose parent or guardian has waived the
student's receipt of the services described in subdivision (j)(2)(B)(i).

- 2 - 000531

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it,
and applies to the administration of the TCAP test in the 2025-2026 school year and each
school year thereafter.