Signed by Governor Bill Lee

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the state board of education to establish emergency rules to address school closures due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Highlights:

• Establishes that the Tennessee comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) tests, which include, but are not limited to TNReady assessments, English learner assessments, alternate TCAP assessments, and end-of-course examinations shall not be required in the spring 2019-2020 school year (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that student growth evaluation composites generated by assessments administered in the 2019-2020 shall be excluded from the student growth measure of a teachers evaluation (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that Tennessee comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) tests, which include, but are not limited to TNReady assessments, English learner assessments, alternate TCAP assessments, and end-of-course examinations shall not comprise a percentage of a students final grade for the spring semester in the subject areas of mathematics, english language arts, science, and social studies, unless including TCAP test scores results in a higher grade for the student (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that for the 2019-2020 school year, a student shall not be required to take and pass the civics test required under this act to meet the social studies course credit requirements to earn a full diploma upon graduation from high school (Sec. 7).

• Authorizes the commissioner of education to waive the 180 day requirement for classroom instruction for the 2019-2020 school year but specifies that a school can continue classroom instruction after being issued a waiver from the commissioner (Sec. 8).

• Specifies that for the 2019-2020 school year, public school students are not required to take an examination at grade 11 to assess student readiness for postsecondary education (Sec. 10).

• Authorizes the state board of education to promptly revise the high school graduation requirements for the 2019-2020 school year to ensure that high school seniors who were affected by school closures during the spring semester do not fail to receive a high school diploma for which the student was on track to receive (Sec. 13). 

• Authorizes the state board of education to consult with the department of education to promulgate emergency rules as necessary to address issues created by school closures due to the outbreak of COVID-19 during the 2019-2020 school year (Sec. 13).

Full Bill Text