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TennesseeHB 2177114th General Assembly (2025-2026)House

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 9; Title 49, Chapter 13; Title 49, Chapter 2; Title 49, Chapter 3 and Title 49, Chapter 1, Part 3, relative to public education.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

Education

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

9 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

Local services for state-authorized charter students

The commission can require local school agencies to contract to serve commission-authorized charter schools within their boundaries. Services can include special education, student placements, alternative schools, and special education eligibility assessments. Local agencies do not have to create new services. The commission must reimburse their actual costs.

Charter funding protected from late cuts

Local school agencies cannot cut charter schools’ per-student funding through financial reports submitted or changed after December 1. This protection covers charter schools within the agency’s boundaries. The law does not specify how much funding is protected.

High-performing charter schools get automatic renewal

Qualifying high-performing charter schools get automatic approval when they submit the state board’s renewal application. For each of the previous three school years, schools must meet standards on at least 75% of indicators in every performance-framework section. Their Tennessee student-growth composite rating must be “above expectations” or “significantly above expectations” in each of those years. They must also have no significant audit findings during their current charter term. Authorizers must report approval to the Department of Education and commission within 10 days. All authorizers must set renewal standards and procedures matching their performance frameworks, give schools annual on-track or off-track notices, and publish those statuses.

Small school funds avoid separate audits

Schools, including charter schools, avoid a separate audit when combined internal school and student activity fund balances are below $50,000. Those funds remain subject to the school’s required general audit.

State-authorized charters get direct expansion route

Commission-authorized charter operators can apply directly to open another school in the same local school area after three full school years. The commission has 90 days to decide a complete application and must give objective reasons for denial. Sponsors have 30 days after denial to submit an amended application; the commission then has 60 days to decide. Missing either decision deadline means approval, and commission decisions cannot be appealed. For approved schools, the commission serves as both authorizer and local education agency.

Student nominations for charter commission seat

The charter commission’s student member is selected each year from local school board or charter governing body nominees. Nominees must be high school juniors or seniors. The commission and each school system can each nominate no more than one student. A local board can use its sole nomination for a student at a charter school it authorized.

Annual fees for state-authorized charter schools

The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission receives an annual fee from each charter school it authorizes. Schools pay the fee from their funding. The fee cannot exceed the lesser of 3% of the school’s per-student state and local funding or $463,000. The law does not set the actual fee for each school.

Charter admission lotteries follow preference order

Charter schools holding enrollment lotteries must use a preference policy approved by their governing body. The order starts with sponsor-run pre-kindergarten students, then economically disadvantaged students if the school uses that preference. Next come students from another charter school covered by an authorizer-approved school-to-school agreement, followed by siblings of enrolled students. Next are local students who attended another public school the previous year. Students living outside the local school area must come last.

School reporting rules put funding at risk

Local school agencies must submit a complete, certified annual budget signed by the schools director and local funding body. Prior-year receipts and spending reports are due October 1, signed by the director and local legislative body. Agencies must send school-fund audits to the education commissioner within 10 days of receiving them. Local governments must provide school-revenue records when requested by local school agencies or locally funded charter schools in their area. Records supplied to the commissioner must also be available to the comptroller on request. Tennessee cannot distribute state funds to agencies missing required records or reports for the current or previous school year.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

  • Scott Cepicky

    Republican • House

  • Aron Maberry

    Republican • House

  • White

    Affiliation unavailable

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 210 • No: 61

Senate vote • 4/22/2026

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/22/2026

Yes: 26 • No: 4

House vote • 4/22/2026

FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR 3 CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT # 2 4/22/2026

Yes: 60 • No: 22

House vote • 4/21/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2026

Yes: 62 • No: 29

House vote • 4/20/2026

HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE

Yes: 0 • No: 0

House vote • 4/15/2026

HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE

Yes: 24 • No: 0

House vote • 4/15/2026

HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE

Yes: 12 • No: 0

House vote • 4/6/2026

HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 2

House vote • 3/31/2026

HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Yes: 13 • No: 3

House vote • 3/25/2026

HOUSE K-12 SUBCOMMITTEE

Yes: 5 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date(s) 05/19/2026, 07/01/2026

    5/26/2026

  2. Pub. Ch. 1012

    5/26/2026

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/19/2026

  4. Transmitted to Governor for his action.

    5/7/2026House

  5. Signed by Senate Speaker

    5/5/2026Senate

  6. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/30/2026House

  7. Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

    4/28/2026House

  8. H. concurred in S. am. no. 2 Ayes 60, Nays 22 PNV 8

    4/22/2026House

  9. H. Placed on Message Calendar 3 for 4/22/2026

    4/22/2026House

  10. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 26, Nays 4, PNV 2

    4/22/2026Senate

  11. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA1101)

    4/22/2026Senate

  12. Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0790)

    4/22/2026Senate

  13. Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

    4/22/2026Senate

  14. Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

    4/22/2026Senate

  15. Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

    4/21/2026House

  16. Passed H., as am., Ayes 62, Nays 29, PNV 2

    4/21/2026House

  17. H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0903)

    4/21/2026House

  18. H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026

    4/16/2026House

  19. Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/16/2026

    4/15/2026House

  20. Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

    4/15/2026House

  21. Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2026

    4/15/2026House

  22. Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

    4/15/2026House

  23. Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/15/2026

    4/15/2026House

  24. Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

    4/8/2026House

  25. Placed behind the budget

    4/8/2026House

Bill Text

  • HA0903

    4/21/2026

    PDF

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Fiscal Note

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

  • SA0790

    PDF

  • SA1101

    PDF

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