Title 49, Education

(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.

All municipalities establishing common schools under this part shall be entitled to receive their proportions of the general school fund of the state, to be applied with the fund collected under §§ 49-2-401 and 49-2-402.

Cities and incorporated towns operating systems of public schools under provisions of their respective charters and levying an additional elementary school tax for operating expenses other than for grounds, buildings and equipment are empowered to continue the operation of the sy…

(a) The boards of education of the respective municipalities shall have the right to permit municipal school buildings and municipal school property to be used for public, community or recreational purposes under such rules, regulations and conditions as may be prescribed from ti…

Each director of schools or local board of education shall make all reports required by the commissioner of education.

(a) (1) All special school districts that are not taxing districts are abolished.(2) Taxing districts that are not encumbered by debts or bonds may at any time, on ten (10) days' notice, hold an election, and upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the legal voters of such dis…

(a) The school board, school commissioners, school trustees or other duly constituted administrative officials of any special school district are authorized and empowered to transfer the administration of the schools in the special school district to the county board of education…

(a) The county trustees of the several counties of this state are authorized to pay over to the county board of education of their respective counties any balance of funds in the hands of the trustees that have been derived from special school district taxes, when and if the law …

A special school district may, by legislative act, establish eligibility and procedures for nonresident property owners.

This part shall be known and may be cited as the “School Support Organization Financial Accountability Act.”

The general assembly recognizes the importance of school support organizations in providing financial support to help carry out academic, arts, athletic, and social programs to further educational opportunities for the children of this state. The general assembly also recognizes …

(1) As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Donation” means any gift or contribution of money, materials, property or securities from any nongovernmental source received by a school official or employee for the benefit of a school district, school, school…

(a) A group or organization may not use a school district's or school's name, mascot or logos, property or facilities for the raising of money, materials, property or securities until a policy has been adopted by the local board of education concerning cooperative agreements, sch…

(a) The director of schools or the director's designee shall annually post or publish a list of organizations that have complied with § 49-2-604(b). This posting or publication may be made by written or electronic means. The school board shall determine the appropriate method of …

(a) Any individual who collects or receives any student activity or other internal school funds shall turn over to the properly designated school official or employee all student activity or other internal school funds. The funds shall be considered student activity or other inte…

(a) Donations to a board of education shall be received and disbursed in accordance with § 49-6-2006. (b) In addition to any requirements established by § 49-6-2006(a), the following specific conditions shall apply:(1) Any donation made by a school support organization to a board…

(1) A nongovernmental group or organization, including all school support organizations, may not:(1) Use the school's or school district's sales tax exemption to purchase items;(2) Represent or imply that its activities, contracts, purchases, or financial commitments are made on …

(a) A school support organization or any group or organization that collects and raises money, materials, property or securities while representing itself to be a school support organization shall be subject to audit by the office of the comptroller of the treasury. (b) (1) A sch…

The office of the comptroller of the treasury is authorized to adopt a model financial policy for school support organizations.

Notwithstanding § 48-51-303(a)(1) to the contrary, a school support organization that is required to register as a nonprofit organization, foundation or chartered member of a nonprofit organization or foundation by a policy adopted in accordance with this part shall be exempt fro…