PRIA Logo™
TennesseeSB 1310114th General Assembly (2025-2026)Senate

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 13, relative to charter schools.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

Schools, Charter

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.

Certain charter renewals receive five-year minimum terms

Beginning July 1, 2025, certain commission-approved charter renewals must last five to 10 academic years. This includes renewals approved on appeal from a local board. It also covers renewals approved under Tennessee Code sections 49-1-614(k)(2)(B) or 49-1-614(k)(4). The commission sets the term by resolution.

Charter overseers must use school performance standards

Beginning July 1, 2025, charter authorizers must use a performance framework for all schools they oversee. Authorizers without a framework covering all their schools must adopt the State Board of Education's model. This gives those authorizers a common set of school performance standards.

Public college charters gain capped enrollment preferences

Beginning July 1, 2025, Tennessee public colleges and universities can seek charter approval locally or directly from the state commission. Direct applications follow the commission's process: a 90-day decision deadline, written denial reasons, and approval when decision deadlines are missed. After denial, applicants have 30 days to submit amendments, which the commission must decide within 60 days. College-sponsored charter schools can favor children of the institution's employees or governing-body members for enrollment. This preference can cover no more than 25% of total enrollment.

Charter agreement changes face final commission decisions

Beginning July 1, 2025, a charter school's governing body can ask its authorizer to change its charter agreement. It can also ask to end the agreement voluntarily before it expires. When the state commission is the authorizer, its denial of an agreement-change request cannot be appealed.

Charter operators gain a school replication route

Beginning July 1, 2025, eligible charter operators can apply to copy a school within the same local education agency. When filing their letter of intent, they must have a school operating for at least one full school year. That school must be authorized by a local board or the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission. The new school must share an existing school's academic focus; applications can go to the local board or directly to the commission. The commission has 90 days to decide direct applications and must give objective, written reasons for denial. Applicants have 30 days to submit amendments after denial; the commission has 60 days to decide them. Missing either decision deadline means approval. Direct approval makes the commission the school's authorizer and local education agency, and its decision cannot be appealed.

Direct charter applications with firm appeal limits

Beginning July 1, 2025, qualifying charter sponsors can apply directly to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission for five consecutive years. This period starts when the commission overturns a local board's third charter-application denial within three consecutive years. New charter terms run five to 10 years, and approval makes the commission the school's authorizer and local education agency. The commission must decide completed applications within 90 days and give written 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. After five years, sponsors must apply locally unless the three-overturn condition happens again.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

  • Ferrell Haile

    Republican • Senate

  • Adam Lowe

    Republican • Senate

  • Powers

    Affiliation unavailable

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 177 • No: 45

House vote • 4/14/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PREVIOUS QUESTION PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/14/2025

Yes: 73 • No: 19

House vote • 4/14/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/14/2025

Yes: 70 • No: 19

Senate vote • 3/24/2025

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/24/2025

Yes: 27 • No: 5

Senate vote • 3/12/2025

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Yes: 7 • No: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

    4/29/2025

  2. Pub. Ch. 275

    4/29/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    4/24/2025Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    4/21/2025Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/21/2025House

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/17/2025Senate

  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/16/2025Senate

  8. Passed H., Ayes 70, Nays 19, PNV 2

    4/14/2025House

  9. Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0229)

    4/14/2025House

  10. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/14/2025House

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

    3/27/2025House

  12. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/24/2025Senate

  13. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    3/24/2025Senate

  14. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 5

    3/24/2025Senate

  15. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0120)

    3/24/2025Senate

  16. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/24/2025

    3/21/2025Senate

  17. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/14/2025Senate

  18. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0

    3/12/2025Senate

  19. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/7/2025Senate

  20. Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/12/2025

    3/5/2025Senate

  21. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

    2/12/2025Senate

  22. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    2/10/2025Senate

  23. Filed for introduction

    2/6/2025Senate

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation