Title 49, Education

As used in this part, “teacher” means and includes any director of schools, assistant director of schools, principal, assistant principal, supervisor, assistant supervisor, persons in charge of any special department of instruction, and any teacher or instructor regularly employe…

(a) No pension or annuity shall be provided exceeding three-fourths (¾) of the salary paid the teacher at the time of retirement, and in no event shall it exceed the sum of six hundred dollars ($600) per annum. (b) The maximum assessment on any teacher coming under the operation …

Any teacher who has not contributed to the minimum amount may make up the deficiency by a cash payment in full with principal and interest or by having it deducted in equal amounts from the annuity installments.

Every teacher who has annually contributed to the fund in accordance with this part for at least five (5) years and has taught in the public schools not less than twenty-five (25) years, fifteen (15) years of which have been in the public schools of a city, town, county or distri…

Every teacher in the public schools of a city, town, county or district who has taught in the schools not less than ten (10) years, has contributed for not less than five (5) years annually to the fund, as may be provided under this part, and has become, without the fault of the …

In case the fund is insufficient to pay the annuity provided for in this part, there shall be a ratable distribution among such beneficiaries who may be entitled to the annuity, and there shall be no claim for any deficiency.

All annuities granted and payable out of the teachers' retirement fund shall be and are exempt from seizure or levy upon attachment, execution, supplemental process and all other process, whether mesne or final. The annuities or any payment of the annuities shall not be subject t…

(a) There shall be a board of trustees for each city, town, county or district established, which shall be known as the public school teachers' retirement fund board, and shall be composed of nine (9) members who shall serve without compensation. (b) The board shall consist of fi…

(a) The board of trustees is authorized to make rules and regulations for the government of the body, subject to the limitations of this part. (b) (1) Six (6) members of the board constitute a quorum, one (1) of whom shall be a member of the school board.(2) No official act of th…

The board of trustees shall have authority to elect one (1) or more of its body whose duty it shall be to actually attend to the duties and obligations of the trust, and to make an adequate solvent bond for the faithful performance of its duties and the safekeeping of the fund.

(a) The board shall manage, lend, maintain, keep or deposit such funds for the benefit and uses of the public school teachers' retirement fund. (b) The board shall receive all moneys from donations, legacies, gifts, bequests, and any surplus that may remain at the end of any fisc…

(a) The city, town, or county treasurer or trustee shall receive and retain on deposit to the credit of the public school teachers' retirement fund each annual contribution made, as provided in this part, until the end of the fiscal year. (b) At the end of the fiscal year the con…

The public school teachers' retirement fund held in trust by the board of trustees shall be known as the sinking fund of the public school teachers' retirement fund, and is created and held for the purposes and uses of supplementing any deficiencies that may occur in the fund or …

At any time that the funds in the hands of the public treasury to the credit of the fund become insufficient, the board of trustees shall assign, as soon and so far as can practically be done, from the sinking fund under its control, to the city or town treasurer, or county trust…

(a) All boards of education shall direct and all teachers employed by the public schools shall give instructions to the pupils of the schools, and shall have the pupils study as a part of the curriculum, the uses, purposes and methods of displaying the American flag and other pat…

(a) It is unlawful for any president, principal or teacher of any educational institution under the control of the state board of education or any local board of education to dismiss the school or any group of students or pupils of the school for the purpose of permitting them to…

(a) The general assembly finds and declares that:(1) Teaching the historical, positive impact of religion on American history is consistent with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution;(2) An accurate and historical account of the influence of Judeo-Christian values…

(a) In order for all students and teachers to prepare themselves for the activities of the day, a period of silence of approximately one (1) minute in duration shall be maintained in each grade in public schools at the beginning of each school day. At the opening of the first cla…

(a) The inclusion of religion in textbooks, instructional materials, curriculum, or academic standards shall be for educational purposes only and shall not be used to proselytize or establish any religion or religious belief. (b) Prior to the 2016-2017 school year, each local sch…

(a) Each LEA shall include in the course of instruction for students in grades five through eight (5-8) curricula designed to educate students in:(1) Black history and black culture; and(2) The contribution of black people to the history and development of this country and of the…

(a) The course of instruction in all public schools shall include character education to help each student develop positive values and improve student conduct as students learn to act in harmony with their positive values and learn to become good citizens in their school, communi…

(a) All material that includes information pertaining to the prevention of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or other sexually transmitted diseases that is written, published, distributed or used by any public entity or is paid for, in whole or in part, with any public m…

(a) American sign language is recognized and adopted as the official and native sign language of the deaf in this state. (b) It is the intent of the general assembly to:(1) Formally express its respect for American sign language;(2) Promote public awareness of and appreciation fo…

(a) Any board of education operating public elementary or secondary systems of education under the laws of this state may provide for, establish and maintain schools for children under six (6) years of age under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the state board o…

(a) (1) In order for every student for whom it is educationally appropriate to receive instruction in computer science sufficient to enable the student to communicate and to be prepared for the technological jobs of today and tomorrow, the state board of education shall, no later…

(a) No teacher or administrator in an LEA shall be prohibited from using or reading from, during the course of educational instruction, or from posting in a public school building, classroom or event, any of the following or any excerpts or portions of the following:(1) The natio…

(a) As used in this section:(1) “Academic acceleration policy” means a policy that establishes objective criteria for the enrollment of students into any available advanced English language arts, mathematics, or science courses; and(2) “Parent” means the parent, guardian, or pers…

Each LEA is encouraged when selecting textbooks or instructional materials for economics or similar courses to select those textbooks or instructional materials that contain substantive provisions on personal finance, including personal budgeting, credit and debt management and s…

(a) (1) As used in this section, “Constitution Day” means a federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become United States citizens that is normally observed on September 17, the day in 1787 that delegates to the Constitu…

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the “Senator Douglas Henry Tennessee History Act.” (b) The general assembly finds that:(1) It is essential for all citizens to know and understand the unique heritage and history of the state of Tennessee;(2) A clear and full un…

(a) The departments of education and safety, in consultation with the Tennessee fish and wildlife commission, shall determine the earliest grade in which it is appropriate for students to begin receiving instruction on firearm safety. In determining the earliest appropriate grade…

(a) Subject to the guidance and approval of the state board of education, local boards of education are urged to develop a sexual violence awareness curriculum for presentation at least once in grades seven (7) and eight (8) and at least once, preferably twice, in grades nine thr…

(a) There is established the Governor's Civics Seal to recognize public schools and local education agencies that implement high-quality civic education programs that prepare students for career and civic life. (b) The department of education shall identify on the state report ca…

(a) An LEA or public charter school shall not include or promote the following concepts as part of a course of instruction or in a curriculum or instructional program, or allow teachers or other employees of the LEA or public charter school to use supplemental instructional mater…

Sections 49-6-103 — 49-6-110 shall be known and may be cited as the “Voluntary Pre-K for Tennessee Act of 2005.”

Each public school, under the guidance of the school's LEA, is encouraged to adopt a recycling program.

(a) In accordance with § 49-6-1022, each LEA shall integrate:(1) For elementary school students, a minimum of forty (40) minutes of physical activity per full school day; and(2) For middle and high school students, a minimum of ninety (90) minutes of physical activity per full sc…

(a) Each LEA is authorized to implement a coordinated school health program under the guidelines developed by the commissioner of education, in consultation with the department of health, pursuant to § 49-1-1002, during the 2006-2007 school year, and shall implement the program b…

(a) (a) As used in this section, “child trafficking” means a human trafficking offense, as defined in § 39-13-314, in which the victim is less than eighteen (18) years of age.(b) The course of instruction in all public schools must include child trafficking prevention and awarene…

(a) In reviewing the lifetime wellness standards, the department of education shall consider including instruction in current and appropriate school safety issues, to include drugs, alcohol, weapons, bomb threats, emergency evacuations and violent school incidents. (b) The depart…

(a) The course of instruction in all public schools for kindergarten through grade eight (K-8) shall include art and music education to help each student foster creative thinking, spatial learning, discipline, craftsmanship and the intrinsic rewards of hard work. (b) Local boards…

(a) The state board of education is authorized to approve academic standards for an elective state-funded course consisting of a nonsectarian, nonreligious academic study of the Bible. The course may include the impact of the Bible on literature, art, music, culture and politics.…

LEAs and public charter schools may offer students in any of the grades five through twelve (5-12) a hunter education course as part of physical education, health, or safety instruction. A hunter education course offered pursuant to this section must be approved by the wildlife r…

(a) The general assembly finds that:(1) Effective and responsible participation in political life as competent citizens requires the acquisition of a body of knowledge and of intellectual and participatory skills;(2) It is essential to the future health of our republic that all c…

Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, each LEA and public charter school shall, as part of the social studies curriculum, present a civics instructional video approved by the state board of education pursuant to § 49-6-2201(i)(2) at least once to students in grades six throug…

(a) It is the legislative intent that, based on the success of Tennessee's existing pilot pre-kindergarten programs, these programs be expanded on a voluntary basis by LEAs and the communities they serve to provide more opportunities for quality early childhood education and pre-…