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SB2407 • 2026

Teachers, Principals and School Personnel

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 5, relative to teaching credentials.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
White, Stevens
Last action
2026-03-09
Official status
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on additional requirements or timelines for temporary permits beyond those explicitly stated.

Clarifying Teaching Credentials for Tennessee

This bill allows individuals who have started but not completed their required clinical practice to receive temporary teaching permits and combine pre-permit and permit teaching time to meet full certification requirements.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that someone can get a temporary teaching permit if they are enrolled in an educator preparation program (EPP) and have begun, but not completed, their required clinical practice.
  • Allows individuals with a temporary teaching permit to combine time spent on classroom practice before getting the permit with the time taught under the permit to meet their total required classroom practice hours.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Teachers who are enrolled in an educator preparation program (EPP) but have not completed all requirements, especially clinical practice.
  • School districts that hire teachers with temporary permits.

Terms To Know

Educator Preparation Program (EPP)
A training program for future teachers to learn and practice teaching skills before getting a full teaching license.
Clinical Practice
Hands-on experience in classrooms that is part of teacher training programs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how long the temporary permits will last.
  • It's unclear if there are any additional requirements for teachers to get a full teaching license after using a temporary permit.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2305

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirements for a temporary clinical teaching permit by allowing individuals who have not completed their full education preparation program (EPP) coursework, including the required classroom experience, to still receive this permit.

  • Allows teachers with incomplete EPP coursework, specifically those lacking the necessary classroom practice, to obtain a temporary clinical permit if they are in the process of completing or about to start their classroom practice.
  • The amendment text does not specify how long individuals can use this temporary permit before needing to complete all requirements.
  • It is unclear what specific support or conditions, if any, accompany these permits for those who have not yet begun or completed their clinical practice.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2407

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirements for a temporary clinical teaching permit in Tennessee, allowing individuals who have not completed all of their education preparation program (EPP) coursework to receive this permit.

  • Allows individuals with incomplete EPP coursework to obtain a temporary clinical teaching permit if they are either beginning or have yet to start their required clinical practice.
  • The amendment text does not specify the exact conditions under which an individual can receive a temporary clinical permit, such as time limits or additional requirements.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026

  2. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on cal. for 4/16/2026

  3. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/9/2026

  4. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  5. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  6. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/31/2026

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 4/1/2026

  9. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/24/2026

  10. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 3/24/2026

  11. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/17/2026

  12. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 3/17/2026

  13. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  15. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 30, Nays 0

  16. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0543)

  17. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/10/2026

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/10/2026

  19. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/5/2026

  20. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 3/10/2026

  21. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/3/2026

  23. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 2/25/2026

  24. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 2/17/2026

  26. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  27. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

  28. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  29. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  30. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  31. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor withdrawn.

  32. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  33. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  34. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 5, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2407, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 also applies the bill to
an individual who has
n
ot yet begun the clinical practice required
by law
at the time the temporary clinical permit is issued
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 2305
By Stevens

SENATE BILL 2407
By White
SB2407
012023
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
Chapter 5, relative to teaching credentials.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-5-106(b)(2), is amended by
deleting subdivision (B) and substituting instead the following:
(B) Has completed all EPP coursework, except for the clinical practice required
in § 49-5-5604 and the rules of the state board of education; this subdivision (b)(2)(B)
applies to an individual who has begun, but not completed, the clinical practice required
pursuant to § 49-5-5604 at the time the temporary clinical permit is issued;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-5-106(g), is amended by adding
the following language at the end of subdivision (3):
This subdivision (g)(3) is satisfied if the amount of time the individual completed
toward meeting the clinical practice required pursuant to § 49-5-5604 before the
individual was issued a temporary clinical permit combined with the amount of
time the individual taught under the temporary clinical permit is at least equal to
the amount of time required for candidates of the EPP in which the individual is
enrolled to complete the clinical practice required pursuant to § 49-5-5604.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.