Title 49, Education

(a) In addition to any other tax applicable to property located within the consolidated school district created pursuant to this part, there shall be levied a property tax sufficient to fund the consolidated school district. The tax rate shall be set by the general assembly by pr…

(a) Sections 49-2-1251 — 49-2-1265 are declared to be remedial legislation to be liberally interpreted for the purpose of increased economy and efficiency in the operation of public schools and after any plan of consolidation provided for shall become effective, no officer or age…

(a) If a municipality seeks to create a city school system; and if the municipality is authorized by its charter, as set forth by statute or private act, to operate a city school system; and if the proposed city school system would possess a student population of sufficient size …

(a) Before the start of each school year, an LEA shall identify each school that, based on the school's capacities at the building, grade, class, and program levels, has space available to enroll and serve additional students. In determining available space at the class level, an…

(a) No school administrator, teacher, or other employee of an LEA shall require a student or the student's parent to provide information on firearm ownership by the student's family. (b) No school administrator or other employee of an LEA shall require a teacher or other school e…

(a) As used in this section, “released time course” means a period of time during which a student is excused from school to attend a course in religious moral instruction taught by an independent entity off school property. (b) A local board of education may adopt a policy that e…

This part shall be known and may be cited as the “Educational Cooperation Act.”

It is the purpose of this part to permit local governmental units and boards of education the most efficient use of their powers by enabling them to cooperate with other localities on a basis of mutual advantage and to thereby provide educational services and facilities in a mann…

(1) As used in this part, “public agency” includes:(1) A board of education of any county, city or special school district or school system;(2) A county or municipal governing body; and(3) A director of schools. (1) A board of education of any county, city or special school distr…

(a) (1) Any power or powers, privileges or authority exercised or capable of exercise by a public agency of this state may be exercised and enjoyed jointly with any other public agency of this state having the same powers, privileges or authority.(2) Any agency of the state gover…

(a) (1) Counties and municipalities are authorized and empowered to levy taxes and issue bonds for all joint or cooperative undertakings authorized by this part.(2) Counties, municipalities and school districts are authorized and empowered to expend funds, acquire property throug…

(a) Before its entry into force, an agreement made under this part shall be filed with the custodian of local public records and with the secretary of state. (b) (1) In any case or controversy involving performance or interpretation of an agreement made under this part or liabili…

(a) If an agreement made under this part addresses in whole or in part the provision of services or facilities with regard to which an officer or agency of the state government has constitutional or statutory powers of control, the agreement shall, as a condition precedent to its…

Nothing in this part shall prohibit any public agency from contracting with other public agencies under existing statutory or charter authority.

(a) An LEA is prohibited from entering into, or requiring an opposing party to enter into, a non-disclosure agreement during a settlement, or as a prerequisite to settlement, for any act of sexual misconduct, including, but not limited to, sexual harassment or sexual assault. (b)…

(a) (1) Each local board of education shall develop a policy to implement a program to reduce the potential sources of lead contamination in drinking water in public schools that incorporates, at a minimum, periodic, not to exceed biennial, testing of lead levels in drinking wate…

(a) A local board of education may authorize a teacher, school employee, or other person employed by the LEA to raise funds for noneducational purposes. (b) A local board of education that authorizes a teacher, school employee, or other person employed by the LEA to raise funds f…

(a) LEAs are authorized to develop before or after school programs in collaboration with 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporations that may provide assistance in selecting and appointing qualified volunteers for the programs. (b) The programs authorized in subsection (a) must focus on kin…

(a) For purposes of this section, “bleeding control kit” means a first aid response kit that contains:(1) One (1) tourniquet endorsed by the United States department of defense's committee on tactical combat casualty care;(2) One (1) compression bandage;(3) One (1) bleeding contr…

(a) As used in this section, “curriculum” means a list of courses available to students enrolled in the LEA, accompanied by a course description and a list of the materials that will be used to provide instruction for the course. (b) An LEA shall publish the LEA's curriculum on t…

(a) An LEA shall conduct a remote learning drill at least once, but not more than twice, each school year to ensure that schools, students, and parents of students can easily transition from in-person learning to remote learning. The drill must accurately reflect the LEA's plan f…

(a) As used in this section:(1) “Bonded indebtedness” means bonds, notes, or other debt instruments with a term of not less than twenty (20) years issued by the county or county LEA, the proceeds of which were used to construct or renovate improvements to land;(2) “Land” means th…

(a) The general assembly finds that LEAs are at their most effective when the faculty members and employees of the LEAs are the most highly qualified candidates for employment with the LEAs and that hiring decisions should be based on merit rather than any other metric. (b) An LE…

(a) As used in this section:(1) “Child care agency” means a child care agency as defined in § 71-3-501 that is licensed to operate in this state by the department of human services;(2) “Underutilized property” has the same meaning as defined in § 49-13-104; and(3) “Vacant propert…

(a) The Tennessee school boards association is recognized as the organization and representative agency of the members of school boards of this state. (b) (1) The commissioner of education, the department of education, the state board of education and the boards of education of c…

(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, there shall be a board of education elected by the people. Except in counties with a county charter or metropolitan government charter, the board shall consist of no more members than the number of members authorized by gener…

(a) (1) Members of the board shall be residents and voters of the county in which they are elected and shall be citizens of recognized integrity, intelligence and ability to administer the duties of the office. To qualify to run as a member of the board of education, a person mus…

(a) It is the duty of the local board of education to:(1) Elect, upon the recommendation of the director of schools, teachers who have attained or are eligible for tenure and fix the salaries of and make written contracts with the teachers;(A) No individual shall be elected to an…

(a) Any member of the board who votes to create debts beyond the legitimate income provided in the school budget for any school year or in any way misappropriates or misuses school funds commits a Class A misdemeanor and shall forfeit office. (b) This section does not apply to an…

(a) It is the duty of the chair of the local board of education to:(1) Preside at all meetings of the board;(2) Appoint committees authorized by the board;(3) Serve as chair of the executive committee; and(4) Countersign all warrants authorized by the board of education and issue…

(a) The chair of the board of education and director of schools constitute the executive committee of the board of education. (b) The duties of the executive committee are to:(1) Meet at the office of the director as often as necessary to perform the duties required;(2) Advertise…

(a) The local board of education shall compile and publish an official operating policy pamphlet, which shall contain, but not be limited to, such procedures as have been established by letter, directive, written or verbal memorandum, custom or tradition, and by which schools are…

(a) A local board of education is authorized to enter into written agreements with any of its employees to pay, at the request of its employees, a part of the incomes of the employees for the purchase of annuity or other contracts which meet the requirements of § 403(b) of the In…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, local boards of education are authorized to provide group life, hospitalization, disability or medical insurance for teachers, principals and other employees. (b) For the purpose of financing the insurance programs, the emp…

(a) Any local board of education may initiate a program of school based decision making and may designate areas including, but not limited to, management, curriculum, classroom management, professional development and budget to be decided at the school by school personnel, includ…

(a) The chief administrative officers of the public school systems, called directors of schools in this section, are authorized to form and join an organization whose membership shall be open to directors of schools in service, but membership in the organization shall not be requ…

(a) Every LEA shall develop a policy setting forth the rights of parents and students and guidelines for teachers and principals with respect to the administration of surveys, analyses or evaluations of students. (b) The policy must:(1) Allow a parent or legal guardian access to …

(a) For purposes of this section, “lobbying expenditures” means funds used to lobby, as defined in § 3-6-301, and also includes any dues paid to associations or membership organizations that lobby. (b) A local board of education shall include in its budget for each fiscal year a …

(a) A local board of education member that is elected, or appointed to fill a vacancy, under this chapter may be removed from office by the registered voters of the county. (b) (1) A person who resides within the geographic boundaries of the local board of education district of w…

(a) During an emergency as defined in § 58-2-101, local boards of education may consult with the state and local health departments when determining whether to open or close a school to in-person learning and instruction. (b) Notwithstanding an executive order issued by the gover…

(a) Each local board of education is authorized to employ a director of schools, as provided for in § 49-2-203, subject to requirements of law. This director of schools may be referred to as superintendent, but all references to or duties or powers of the former county superinten…

(a) (1) Each director of schools shall employ principals for the public schools. The employment contract with each principal shall be in writing, shall not exceed the contract term of the current director of schools, and may be renewed. The contract shall specify duties other tha…

(a) Directors of schools may employ one (1) or more supervisors for the supervision of teaching in grades one through twelve (1-12), or any combination of these grades, in the respective school systems. (b) Any person employed as supervisor for the supervision of teaching shall h…

(a) The LEA, in consultation with parents, teachers and administrators, shall develop and adopt a policy to promote the involvement of parents and guardians of children enrolled in the schools within the school district. The plan shall be submitted to the commissioner of educatio…

(a) Every incorporated municipality is empowered, through its governing board, to submit a proposition to the qualified voters to levy and collect a school tax, not exceeding the tax levied by the state for state purposes, on each one hundred dollars ($100) of the taxable propert…

The board of each municipality voting for and collecting the tax provided for in § 49-2-401 shall have exclusive control and management over such common schools.