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SB0434 • 2026

Education, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to early high school graduation.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Reeves, Sparks
Last action
2025-04-03
Official status
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide specific details on how the report should be formatted or what additional information it must include, leaving room for interpretation.

Report on Early High School Graduation

This bill requires the Tennessee Department of Education to compile an annual report about students who finish high school early and submit this report to specific committees by September 1 each year.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Tennessee Department of Education to compile a yearly report on the number of students who completed the early graduation program in the previous school year.
  • The department must give this report to the education committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives' committee with jurisdiction over K-12 education by September 1 each year.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Tennessee Department of Education
  • Education committees in the Tennessee General Assembly

Terms To Know

Early graduation program
A program that allows high school students to graduate before completing all standard requirements.
K-12 education
Education from kindergarten through twelfth grade, covering the entire primary and secondary school system.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the report should be formatted or what additional information it must include.
  • It is unclear if this new requirement will lead to changes in the early graduation program itself.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0067

Plain English: The amendment changes Senate Bill No. 434 by adding new requirements for TACIR to study and recommend ways to incentivize early high school graduation in Tennessee.

  • TACIR is required to study if early high school graduation programs could reduce overcrowding in fast-growing counties and compare with other states' incentives or programs.
  • TACIR must make recommendations on how Tennessee can encourage students to graduate from high school earlier.
  • By January 31, 2026, TACIR is required to report its findings and recommendations to the general assembly.
  • The amendment does not specify what kind of incentives or programs TACIR should recommend.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0434

Plain English: The amendment asks TACIR to study if early high school graduation programs can reduce overcrowding in fast-growing counties and recommends ways Tennessee could encourage students to graduate early.

  • TACIR will study whether early high school graduation programs can help reduce school overcrowding in fast-growing areas.
  • TACIR will also look at what other states do for early high school graduation incentives that Tennessee does not have.
  • TACIR must give a report with its findings and recommendations to the general assembly by January 31, 2026.
  • The amendment text does not specify how TACIR will conduct these studies or what specific incentives might be recommended.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  2. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to TACIR Calendar

  4. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  5. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 30, Nays 0

  6. 2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/31/2025

  7. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  8. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/2/2025

  9. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  10. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  11. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/26/2025

  12. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/26/2025

  13. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/25/2025

  14. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

  17. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  21. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  22. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  23. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c K-12 Subcommittee

  24. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Education Committee

  25. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

  26. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  27. 2025-01-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 67
By Sparks

SENATE BILL 434
By Reeves

SB0434
000967
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to early high school graduation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-8103, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(j) The department of education shall compile a report on the number of students
who completed the early graduation program in the previous school year. The
department shall submit the report to the education committee of the senate and the
committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over kindergarten through
grade twelve (K-12) education by September 1 of each year.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.