Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee House Bill HB0697 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2		-	SENATE BILL 822
3		-	By Hensley
	2	+	<BillNo> <Sponsor>
4	3
5	4		HOUSE BILL 697
6	5		By Barrett
7	6
8	7
9	8		HB0697
10	9		002880
11	10		- 1 -
12	11
13	12		AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
14	13		relative to assessments administered to students
15	14		who receive instruction through virtual means.
16	15
17	16		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
18	17		SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 60, is amended by
19	18		adding the following as a new section:
20	19		(a) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary and except as provided in
21	20		subsection (b), a virtual school, as defined in § 49-16-203, or virtual education program,
22	21		operating in accordance with chapter 16, part 1 of this title, may administer a Tennessee
23	22		comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) test, or a successor test, in a virtual setting
24	23		that aligns with the student's regular academic instruction, if:
25	24		(1) The TCAP test is administered to students in a virtual setting on a
26	25		date, and at a time, determined by the virtual school, or by the public school
27	26		providing the virtual education program, that occurs during the test administration
28	27		window established by the commissioner of education for the TCAP test,
29	28		pursuant to § 49-6-6002;
30	29		(2) The TCAP test is administered to students in a virtual setting during a
31	30		synchronous assessment session initiated and managed by the virtual school, or
32	31		by the public school providing the virtual education program;
33	32		(3) The TCAP test is administered to students in a virtual setting and
34	33		monitored by a proctor through video means for the duration of the administration
35	34		of the TCAP test, except as provided in subsection (c);
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37	36
38	37		- 2 - 002880
39	38
40	39		(4) The virtual school, or the public school providing the virtual education
41	40		program, strives to maintain a student to proctor ratio of no less than one (1)
42	41		proctor for every ten (10) students for the TCAP test being administered in a
43	42		virtual setting;
44	43		(5) The virtual school, or the public school providing the virtual education
45	44		program, does not allow a student who is administered the TCAP test in a virtual
46	45		setting to exit the room in which the test is being administered until instructed to
47	46		do so by the proctor; and
48	47		(6) The submission of the TCAP test administered to students in a virtual
49	48		setting must be verified by the assessment proctor.
50	49		(b) The department shall ensure that TCAP tests are available to be offered in a
51	50		virtual setting in accordance with this section.
52	51		(c) If the device on which a TCAP test is administered in a virtual setting does
53	52		not allow for integrated camera proctoring, then a student who is administered a TCAP
54	53		test in a virtual setting must use one (1) device to take the test and one (1) device for the
55	54		student to be video monitored by a proctor for the duration of the administration of the
56	55		test. If a second device is needed pursuant to this subsection (c), then the virtual
57	56		school, or the public school providing the virtual education program, must provide the
58	57		second device. This subsection (c) does not require the use of a second device if the
59	58		assessment platform allows for the assessment proctor to view the student and the
60	59		student's background during the assessment's administration.
61	60		(d) The department of education may adopt standards for the administration of
62	61		TCAP tests in virtual settings in accordance with this section to ensure that TCAP tests
63	62		are administered in a secure environment.
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65	64
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68	67		SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
69	68		applies to TCAP tests administered to students in the 2026-2027 school year and each school
70	69		year thereafter.