SB2387 • 2026

School Vouchers

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

Children Education

Active

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

Sponsor: Akbari, Johnson
Last action: 2026-03-18
Official status: Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Education Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not mention including participating private schools in the public school grading system, which was part of the original candidate explanation.

School Vouchers Testing and Accountability

This bill requires students participating in certain voucher programs to take specific standardized tests, mandates private schools accepting these vouchers to publish educational materials online and ensure teachers are licensed and evaluated like public school teachers.

What This Bill Does

Requires parents of students using individualized education accounts (IEAs), education savings accounts (ESAs), or education freedom scholarships in certain grades to have their children take specific standardized tests, including TCAP tests and universal reading screeners.
Requires private schools accepting IEA, ESA, or scholarship funds to publish lesson plans, library materials lists, and academic standards on their websites.
Requires participating private schools to ensure all educators hold valid teaching licenses issued by the state board of education.
Requires participating private schools to evaluate teachers according to public school teacher evaluation requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

Students and parents using individualized education accounts (IEAs), education savings accounts (ESAs), or education freedom scholarships.
Private schools accepting IEA, ESA, or scholarship funds.

Terms To Know

Individualized Education Account (IEA): An account that provides funding for students with disabilities to pay for educational services outside the public school system.
Education Savings Account (ESA): An account funded by state money that parents can use to pay for approved education expenses, such as private school tuition or tutoring.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the additional testing requirements will be enforced.
It is unclear what consequences there are if a participating school fails to comply with the new requirements.
The financial impact of implementing these changes has not been fully assessed.

Bill History

2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Education Committee
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Failed in s/c K-12 Subcommittee of Education Committee
2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/18/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/18/2026
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
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/11/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/10/2026
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/10/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/3/2026
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

Generally, this bill applies various requirements to students and schools that participate in the individualized education account (IEA) program, education savings account (ESA) program, and education freedom scholarship program.

Testing

Present law requires the parent of a student who participates in an IEA in grades three through eight, to ensure that the student is annually administered either a nationally norm-referenced test identified by the department of education or the TCAP tests
. The tests should, at a minimum, measure learning in mathematics and English language arts. Students with disabilities who would have participated in the alternate assessment, as determined on the student's IEP, are exempt from the testing requirement.

Present law requires that students participating in an ESA in grades three through eleven must be annually administered the TCAP tests for math and English language arts.

Present law requires that students being administered an education freedom scholarship in grades three through eleven must be annually administered a nationally standardized achievement test that is aligned to the respective private school's instructional
plan or the TCAP tests for math and English language arts.

Subject to the exception for students having a disability, this bill instead requires that:

(1)

A parent of a participating student who enrolls in a participating school that is a church-related school or home school ensure that the participating student is annually administered all
T
CAP tests that are administered to a public school student in the same grade or same course subject as the participating student
.
In grade
11
,
the parent must ensure that
the student is administered the
graduation assessment
examination that is administered to public school students in grade 11
. In
grades kinderga
rten through three,
the parent must ensure
that the participating student is annually administered each of the three Tennessee universal reading screeners, or universal reading screeners approved by the state board of education
,
during each of the three administration windows esta
b
lished by
present law; and

(2) A participating school that is a private school is required to administer the same tests as described in (1) must be administered to a
participating student enroll
ed
in
the
school
.

The same testing requirements as described in (1) and (2) will apply to schools that enroll students who participate in an ESA or who receive an education freedom scholarship.

Publication of educational materials

This bill requires a school that participates in the IEA, ESA, or education freedom scholarship program to
publish the school's lesson plans and syllabus for each class offered by the school, a current list of materials in the school's library collection, and the academic standards for each class offered by the school on the school's website.

Educator licensure and evaluation

This bill requires a school that participates in the IEA, ESA, or education freedom scholarship program to
ensure that all educators of the participating school hold a valid license to teach in a public school that is issued by the state board of education.
This bill also requires participating schools to
evaluate teachers in accordance with teacher evaluation requirements for public school teachers.

School grades

This bill requires the
department
of education to
include schools
that participate in the IEA, ESA, or education freedom scholarship program
in the school grading system
for public schools
by annually assigning a letter grade to such
participating
schools.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 2247
By Johnson

SENATE BILL 2387
By Akbari
SB2387
012244
- 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 49-10-1403, is amended by deleting
subsection (e) and substituting:
(e)
(1) A parent of a participating student who enrolls in a participating
school that is a church-related school or home school, as those terms are
defined in § 49-6-3001(c)(3)(A):
(A) Shall ensure that the participating student is annually
administered all Tennessee comprehensive assessment program (TCAP)
tests, or successor tests authorized by the state board of education, that
are administered to a public school student in the same grade or same
course subject as the participating student;
(B) In grade eleven (11), shall ensure that the student is
administered the examination that is administered to public school
students in grade eleven (11) pursuant to § 49-6-6001(b)(1); and
(C) In any of the grades kindergarten through three (K-3), shall
ensure that the participating student is annually administered each of the
three (3) Tennessee universal reading screeners, or universal reading
screeners approved by the state board of education, as described in § 49-
1-905(c), during each of the three (3) administration windows established
by the department of education pursuant to § 49-1-905(c)(1).

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(2) A participating student's results on the tests administered pursuant to
this subsection (e) must be reported to the parent of the student.
(3) Students with disabilities who would have participated in the alternate
assessment, as determined on the student's IEP, are exempt from the
requirements in this subsection (e).
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-10-1404, is amended by adding
the following as new subsection:
(d)
(1) As a condition of receiving an IEA pursuant to this part, a participating
student who enrolls in a participating school that is a private school as defined in
§ 49-6-3001(c)(3)(A)(iii):
(A) Must be annually administered all Tennessee comprehensive
assessment program (TCAP) tests, or successor tests authorized by the
state board of education, that are administered to a public school student
in the same grade or same course subject as the participating student;
(B) If the participating student is in grade eleven (11), then the
participating student must be administered the examination that is
administered to public school students in grade eleven (11) pursuant to §
49-6-6001(b)(1); and
(C) If the participating student is in any of the grades kindergarten
through three (K-3), then the participating student must be annually
administered each of the three (3) Tennessee universal reading
screeners, or universal reading screeners approved by the state board of
education, as described in § 49-1-905(c), during each of the three (3)

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administration windows established by the department of education
pursuant to § 49-1-905(c)(1).
(2) Each participating school that is a private school as defined in § 49-6-
3001(c)(3)(A)(iii) and that enrolls a participating student shall annually administer
the test or tests required in subdivision (d)(1) to the participating students
enrolled in the participating school. Each participating school shall provide the
results of the test or tests administered pursuant to subdivision (d)(1) to the
participating student's parents.
(3) A participating student who would have participated in the alternate
assessment, as determined on the student's IEP, is exempt from the
requirements in this subsection (d).
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-10-1404, is amended by adding
the following as new subsections:
(d)
(1) A participating school shall publish the school's lesson plans and
syllabus for each class offered by the school, a current list of materials in the
school's library collection, and the academic standards for each class offered by
the school on the school's website.
(2) As used in this subsection (d):
(A) "Library collection" means the materials made available to
students by the participating school, including materials made available to
students as part of a course curriculum; and
(B) "Materials" means books, periodicals, newspapers,
manuscripts, films, prints, documents, microfilm, discs, cassettes,

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videotapes, video games, applications, and subscription content in any
form.
(e) A participating school shall ensure that all educators of the participating
school hold a valid license to teach in a public school that is issued by the state board of
education.
(f) A participating school shall evaluate teachers in accordance with teacher
evaluation requirements for public school teachers pursuant to § 49-1-302.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-2607(e), is amended by adding
the following as new subdivisions:
(6)
(A) Publish the school's lesson plans and syllabus for each class offered
by the school, a current list of materials in the school's library collection, and the
academic standards for each class offered by the school on the school's website;
and
(B) As used in this subdivision (e)(6):
(i) "Library collection" means the materials made available to
students by the participating school, including materials made available to
students as part of a course curriculum; and
(ii) "Materials" means books, periodicals, newspapers,
manuscripts, films, prints, documents, microfilm, discs, cassettes,
videotapes, video games, applications, and subscription content in any
form;
(7) Ensure that all educators of the participating school hold a valid license to
teach in a public school that is issued by the state board of education; and

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(8) Evaluate teachers in accordance with teacher evaluation requirements for
public school teachers pursuant to § 49-1-302.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-2606(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(1) As a condition of participating in the program:
(A) Participating students must be annually administered the Tennessee
comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) tests, or successor tests authorized
by the state board of education, that are administered to a public school student
in the same grade or same course subject as the participating student;
(B) Participating students in grade eleven (11) must be administered the
examination that is administered to public schools students in grade eleven (11)
pursuant to § 49-6-6001(b)(1); and
(C) Participating students in kindergarten through grade three (K-3) must
annually be administered each of the three (3) Tennessee universal reading
screeners, or universal reading screeners approved by the state board of
education, as described in § 49-1-905(c), during each of the three (3)
administration windows established by the department of education pursuant to §
49-1-905(c)(1).
SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3507(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(1) As a condition of receiving a scholarship pursuant to this part:
(A) A recipient must be annually administered the Tennessee
comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) tests, or successor tests authorized
by the state board of education, that are administered to a public school student
in the same grade or same course subject as the recipient;

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(B) A recipient in grade eleven (11) must be administered the
examination that is administered to public schools students in grade eleven (11)
pursuant to § 49-6-6001(b)(1); and
(C) A recipient in kindergarten through grade three (K-3) must annually
be administered each of the three (3) Tennessee universal reading screeners, or
universal reading screeners approved by the state board of education, as
described in § 49-1-905(c), during each of the three (3) administration windows
established by the department of education pursuant to § 49-1-905(c)(1).
SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 35, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
A private school that enrolls a recipient shall:
(1)
(A) Publish the school's lesson plans and syllabus for each class
offered by the school, a current list of materials in the school's library
collection, and the academic standards for each class offered by the
school on the school's website; and
(B) As used in this subdivision (1):
(i) "Library collection" means the materials made available
to students by the participating school, including materials made
available to students as part of a course curriculum; and
(ii) "Materials" means books, periodicals, newspapers,
manuscripts, films, prints, documents, microfilm, discs, cassettes,
videotapes, video games, applications, and subscription content in
any form;

- 7 - 012244

(2) Ensure that all educators of the private school hold a valid license to
teach in a public school that is issued by the state board of education; and
(3) Evaluate teachers in accordance with teacher evaluation
requirements for public school teachers pursuant to § 49-1-302.
SECTION 8. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-1-228, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
The department shall include participating schools, as defined in §§ 49-10-1402
and 49-6-2602, and private schools that enroll recipients, as those terms are defined in §
49-6-3502, in the school grading system developed pursuant to this section by annually
assigning a letter grade to such schools.
SECTION 9. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.