Education

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary text does not provide specific details about the exact duties of the task force members or the process for electing officers, which are mentioned in the candidate explanation but not supported by the provided source material.

Creating an Education Task Force

This bill creates a task force to study how Tennessee can handle changes if federal control over K-12 education is reduced.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a seven-member task force to prepare Tennessee for potential deregulation of federal laws, regulations, requirements, and guidance for K-12 education.
• Requires the task force to meet by August 1, 2025, with members from both houses of the state legislature, educators appointed by the governor, and other officials.
• Asks the task force to identify all federal funding allocated to Tennessee's Department of Education and local educational agencies (LEAs) for K-12 education in the previous fiscal year, along with related requirements and obligations.
• Requires the task force to report back by December 31, 2025, on how Tennessee should proceed if significant changes are made at the federal level regarding K-12 education.

Who It Names or Affects

• Members of the state legislature who serve on education committees
• Educators appointed by the governor
• State and local educational agencies

Terms To Know

K-12 Education

Education from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Task Force

A group of people brought together to work on a specific project or issue.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if the task force finds that Tennessee cannot handle changes in federal education rules and funding.
• It is unclear how much money Tennessee currently receives from the federal government for K-12 education.
• The bill does not say who will make decisions based on the task force's report.

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 27, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 950, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites this bill to create a seven-member federal education deregulation cooperation task force
to prepare Tennessee for the potential of deregulation of federal laws, regulations, requirements, and guidance for kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) education. The task force will consist of the following members:

(1) The chair of the education
committee of the house of representatives;

(2) Two members of the house of representatives who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(3) The chair of the education committee of the senate;

(4) Two members of the senate who a
re appointed by the speaker of the senate; and

(5) One member who is a licensed educator in this state who is appointed by the governor.

This amendment requires the chair of the senate education committee to convene the task force for its first meetin
g no later than August 1, 2025. The full text of this amendment specifies organizational and procedural requirements for the task force, such as election of officer, officers' duties, and removal of officers. The task force members serve without compens
a
tion, but may receive reimbursement for travel expenses.

This amendment requires the general assembly staff, state board of education, department of education, LEAs, and the office of legislative budget analysis to assist the task force in discharging th
e task force's duties in this section as requested by the chair of the task force.

This amendment requires the task force to do the following:

(1) Identify all federal funding allocated to the department of education and LEAs in this state for the pre
vious fiscal year for K-12 education, specifying the federal program from which any such funds are allocated, the uses of the allocations by the department or LEAs, and the amount of the allocations;

(2) Identify the federal requirements that the state o
r an LEA must comply with in order to receive federal funding;

(3) Identify the state and LEA obligations and resources that are necessary in order to receive federal funding;

(4) Identify the number of state and local employment positions funded throu
gh federal allocations ; and

(5) Consider whether the programs or resources provided using federal funding should be continued at the state level if the federal funding is eliminated.

This amendment requires the task force to compile and submit a
report of the task force's findings and make recommendations on how this state should proceed if significant changes in K-12 education are made at the federal level to the general assembly by December 31, 2025. The task force will cease to exist upon the

task force's submission of the report.

ON APRIL 22, 2025, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 950 FOR HOUSE BILL 958, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 950, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 i
ncorporates the provisions of Senate Amendment #1 with the
following changes:

(1) Substitutes the standing committee of the house of representatives with jurisdiction over subject matters pertaining to K-12 education for a reference to the house ed
u
cation committee;

(2) Removes the requirement that the task f
orce elect a secretary;

(3) Clarifies that members of the task force who are legislators serve without compensation, except for the mileage and per diem allowance that is provided by the general assembly; and

(4) Specifies that the task force is requir
ed to deliver its report to the speaker of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the chief clerk of each house of the general assembly, and the legislative librarian.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 950
By Powers

HOUSE BILL 958
By Slater

HB0958
000475
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-2-103(a)(3), is amended by
deleting "July 10 each year" and substituting "July 20 of each year".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.