Schools, Charter

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to public charter schools.

Education

Active

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

Sponsor: Gardenhire, Sparks
Last action: 2026-03-04
Official status: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on the duration of initial charter agreements, only renewals.

Changes to Public Charter School Rules in Tennessee

This bill changes how long charter schools can operate and who can authorize them.

What This Bill Does

Prevents certain charter schools from mutually agreeing with local school boards for the board to serve as their authorizer after a renewal process by the commission.
Allows the Tennessee public charter school commission to set the length of renewed charter agreements between five and ten years, instead of automatically giving all renewals a ten-year term.

Who It Names or Affects

Public charter schools in Tennessee
Local boards of education that work with public charter schools

Terms To Know

Authorizer: The organization or agency responsible for approving and overseeing a charter school.
Charter agreement: A contract between a charter school and its authorizing body that outlines the terms of operation, including length and conditions.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how long it will take for these changes to be implemented.
It is unclear what specific impact this legislation will have on existing charter schools.

Bill History

2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Taken off notice for cal in s/c K-12 Subcommittee of Education Committee
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/24/2026
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/24/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/17/2026
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/17/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/10/2026
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/4/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/4/2026
2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 2/25/2026
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c K-12 Subcommittee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Education Committee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 2256
By Sparks

SENATE BILL 2332
By Gardenhire
SB2332
011692
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to public charter schools.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-13-108(b)(5)(E), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(E) Notwithstanding subdivision (b)(5)(D), a public charter school authorized by
the commission, and the local board of education of the LEA in which the public charter
school is located, may, within thirty (30) calendar days of the public charter school's
authorization, mutually agree in writing that the local board of education will be the
authorizer and the LEA for the public charter school, and the local board of education
shall assume the rights and responsibilities of the charter agreement. The charter
agreement must be filed with the commission in a manner prescribed by the
commission. This subdivision (b)(5)(E) does not apply to a public charter school that
has had its charter agreement renewed on appeal by the commission; and
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-13-110(b)(1), is amended by
deleting "A charter agreement" and substituting "An initial charter agreement".
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-13-110(c), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting:
(c)
(1) If a public charter school renewal application is approved by a local
board of education, then the term of the renewed charter agreement must be for
ten (10) academic years.

- 2 - 011692

(2) If a public charter school renewal application is approved by the
commission, then the term of the renewed charter agreement must be for a term
of no less than five (5) academic years, but no more than ten (10) academic
years, as determined by resolution of the commission.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-13-121(g), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting:
(g)
(1) If a public charter school renewal application is approved by a local
board of education, then the term of the renewed charter agreement must be for
ten (10) academic years.
(2) If a public charter school renewal application is approved by the
commission, then the term of the renewed charter agreement must be for a term
of no less than five (5) academic years, but no more than ten (10) academic
years, as determined by resolution of the commission.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-13-121(f)(3), is amended by
deleting "Notwithstanding subsection (g), the first sentence of § 49-13-110(b), and § 49-13-
110(c), if" and substituting "If".
SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-13-121(l), is amended by deleting
"Notwithstanding subsection (g), the first sentence of § 49-13-110(b), and § 49-13-110(c), if"
and substituting "If".
SECTION 7. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.