Tennessee House Bill HB2679

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/31/24
• Refer: 2/5/24
• Refer: 3/26/24
• Refer: 4/3/24

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 37, relative to the school turnaround pilot program.

Impact

The amendments seek to innovate the way schools requiring intervention operate, allowing selected schools to stay in the program longer than before. This will affect the governance and administrative framework of school interventions, aligning local education agency efforts with state educational standards to improve student performance. The bill's provisions also ensure that no more than fifteen schools may participate simultaneously, fostering focused resource allocation and management within the pilot program.

Summary

House Bill 2679, introduced by Representative White, aims to amend the Tennessee Code Annotated concerning the school turnaround pilot program. The proposed changes focus on extending the duration of intervention for underperforming schools from a four-year to a fifteen-year program, with an emphasis on ensuring the development and implementation of effective school turnaround plans. The bill mandates that participating schools develop these plans within the first year of involvement in the program.

Contention

Notably, the changes introduced in HB2679 sparked discussions around local versus state control of education. Critics argue that extending intervention periods may lead to bureaucratic stagnation, claiming that local educational authorities might lose their ability to make swift changes according to their specific circumstances. Supporters, on the other hand, emphasize that a longer timeframe may allow schools the necessary resources and time to implement comprehensive turnaround strategies effectively, ultimately benefiting students' educational outcomes.