Local Education Agencies

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Rules for Schools About Special Education Meetings

This bill requires local education agencies in Tennessee to provide parents or guardians with notice and documentation before special education meetings.

What This Bill Does

• Requires LEAs to notify a student's parent or guardian at least ten days before an IEP meeting, unless both agree on a shorter period as per state board rules.
• Provides the parent or guardian copies of requested education records and draft IEPs at least 48 hours before the IEP meeting if the LEA has created a draft IEP.
• Allows parents or guardians to opt out of receiving a copy of the draft IEP by giving written notice more than 48 hours in advance.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local education agencies (LEAs) in Tennessee
• Parents and guardians of students with special education needs

Terms To Know

IEP

Individualized Education Program, a plan for the education of a student with disabilities.

LEA

Local Education Agency, which is usually a school district or other local government agency responsible for providing public education.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill was withdrawn and its status is unclear.
• It does not specify the consequences if required notices are not given on time.

Official Summary Text

This bill requires LEAs to do the following:

(1) Notify a student's p
arent or guardian at least 10 days before the student's individualized education program
(
IEP
)
meeting to ensure that the parent or g
uardian has an opportunity to attend, unless the parent or guardian and LEA mutually agree to meet prior to 10 calendar days in accordance with rules promulgated by the state board of education
; and

(2)
P
rovide the following to the
student's
parent or gu
ardian at least 48 hours prior to the IEP scheduled meeting:

(A) A copy of the student's education records that the parent or guardian requests in writing to the LEA more than 48 hours prior to the scheduled IEP meeting; and

(B) If the LEA creates a d
raft IEP for the student prior to the IEP meeting, then a copy of the student's draft IEP, unless the student's parent or guardian provides written notice to the LEA more than 48 hours prior to the scheduled IEP meeting declining the parent's or guardian'
s
right to receive a copy of the draft IEP.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

HOUSE BILL 619
By McCalmon

HB0619
001999
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
Chapter 10 and Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 1, relative
to special education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-10-103, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(d)
(1) An LEA shall notify a parent or guardian of a student at least ten (10)
calendar days before the student's IEP meeting to ensure that the parent or
guardian has an opportunity to attend, unless the parent or guardian and LEA
mutually agree to meet prior to ten (10) calendar days in accordance with rules
promulgated by the state board of education.
(2) An LEA shall provide the following to the parent or guardian of the
student who is the subject of the IEP meeting at least forty-eight (48) hours prior
to the IEP scheduled meeting:
(A) A copy of the student's education records, as defined in the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g),
that the parent or guardian requests in writing to the LEA more than forty-
eight (48) hours prior to the scheduled IEP meeting; and
(B) If the LEA creates a draft IEP for the student prior to the IEP
meeting, then a copy of the student's draft IEP, unless the student's
parent or guardian provides written notice to the LEA more than forty-

- 2 - 001999

eight (48) hours prior to the scheduled IEP meeting declining the parent's
or guardian's right to receive a copy of the draft IEP.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.