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TennesseeSB 1310114th General Assembly (2025-2026)SenateWALLET

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

Sponsored By: Jack Johnson (Republican)

Became Law

Schools, Charter

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

7 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

College-sponsored charters can prefer employees' kids

Beginning July 1, 2025, a public college or university that sponsors a charter school can give an enrollment preference to children of its employees or governing board members, up to 25% of total seats. If the college applies directly to the commission, it follows the commission’s application timelines.

Direct state path and faster decisions

Beginning July 1, 2025, if the commission overturned three local denials in an LEA over three straight years, sponsors in that LEA can apply directly to the commission for the next five years. For any direct application, the commission must decide in 90 days or the application is approved. After a denial, sponsors have 30 days to amend, and the commission has 60 days to decide or the amended application is approved. If approved, the commission becomes the authorizer and its decision is final.

Easier to replicate proven charter schools

Starting July 1, 2025, replication means opening new charters with the same academic focus as an existing school run by the same group. A governing board that has run a charter for at least one full school year can apply to replicate in the same district, to the local board or directly to the commission. For direct replication, the commission must decide in 90 days or the application is approved; after a denial, sponsors have 30 days to amend and the commission has 60 days to decide or approve by default. If approved, the commission is the authorizer and may set replication rules.

More public reporting on charter schools

Starting July 1, 2025, the commission must post letters of intent within 10 days and publish its required annual information online. Any authorizer that gets a charter application must report it to the commission within 10 days, and must also submit and post an annual authorizing report by January 1 with school status, oversight services, and performance data. Authorizers must tell the commission about any renewal application within 10 days. If a district charges an authorizer fee, it must report the total and its use by December 1 each year; the state board posts those reports by December 11.

Who can approve charter schools

Starting July 1, 2025, local school boards, the state public charter school commission, and the Achievement School District are the authorizers that approve, renew, or revoke charters. Sponsors must apply to the local board or, when allowed, directly to the commission. The law also shifts many charter duties and references from the Department of Education to the state board and the commission.

Clear rules to amend or renew charters

Starting July 1, 2025, a charter’s governing board can ask its authorizer to change the charter or to end it early. The commission sets the timelines and appeal steps for amendments. If the commission is the authorizer and it denies an amendment, that denial cannot be appealed. When the commission renews a charter on appeal from a local board, the renewed term must be at least 5 and no more than 10 academic years.

Old charter code sections repealed

On July 1, 2025, the law repeals §49-13-142 and removes §49-13-108(b)(4). It also sets the start date for §49-13-108(b)(5) to January 1, 2021. These changes clean up and align charter code sections.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jack Johnson

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Ferrell Haile

    Republican • Senate

  • Adam Lowe

    Republican • Senate

  • Bill Powers

    Republican • Senate

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. Pub. Ch. 275

    4/29/2025

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

    4/29/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    4/24/2025Senate

  4. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/21/2025House

  5. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    4/21/2025Senate

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/17/2025Senate

  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/16/2025Senate

  8. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/14/2025House

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

    4/14/2025House

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

    4/14/2025House

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

    3/27/2025House

  12. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0120)

    3/24/2025Senate

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

    3/24/2025Senate

  14. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    3/24/2025Senate

  15. Sponsor(s) Added.

    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

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