Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SB0679 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	HOUSE BILL 401
3	3	By White
4	4
5	5	SENATE BILL 679
6	6	By White
7	7
8	8
9	9	SB0679
10	10	001781
11	11	- 1 -
12	12
13	13	AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
14	14	relative to education funding.
15	15
16	16	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
17	17	SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-3-103(a), is amended by deleting
18	18	the first sentence of the subsection and substituting instead the following:
19	19	(a) The Tennessee investment in student achievement formula (TISA) is a
20	20	student-based funding formula established as the system for funding education for
21	21	kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) public schools, pre-kindergarten students with
22	22	special education needs, and peer models.
23	23	SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-3-104, is amended by adding the
24	24	following as new, appropriately designated subdivisions:
25	25	( ) "Least restrictive environment" means that, to the maximum extent
26	26	appropriate, a child with a disability, as defined in § 49-10-102, is educated with children
27	27	who are not children with a disability, and that special classes, separate schooling, or
28	28	other removal of a child with a disability from the regular educational environment occurs
29	29	only when the nature or severity of the child's disability is such that education in regular
30	30	classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be satisfactorily
31	31	achieved in accordance with the child's individualized education program;
32	32	( ) "Peer model" means a child without a disability who is in the same classroom
33	33	as a pre-kindergarten student with special education needs;
34	34	( ) "Pre-kindergarten student with special education needs" means a child with a
35	35	disability, as defined in § 49-10-102, who is between three (3) and five (5) years of age,
36	36
37	37
38	38	- 2 - 001781
39	39
40	40	both inclusive, and who is enrolled in a pre-kindergarten class in an LEA or public
41	41	charter school with the peer models required to educate the child in the least restrictive
42	42	environment, and for whom the LEA or public charter school must provide a FAPE, as
43	43	defined in § 49-10-102, pursuant to the IDEA, as defined in § 49-10-102;
44	44	SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-3-111(d), is amended by deleting
45	45	"kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12)" in the first sentence of the subsection.
46	46	SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-107, is amended by adding the
47	47	following as a new subsection:
48	48	(f) An LEA's receipt of TISA funding in any school year for pre-kindergarten
49	49	students with special education needs and peer models, as those terms are defined in §
50	50	49-3-104, who were enrolled in the LEA's pre-kindergarten program in the immediately
51	51	preceding school year must not affect the amount of state funds the LEA receives
52	52	pursuant to this section.
53	53	SECTION 5. For rulemaking purposes, this act takes effect upon becoming a law, the
54	54	public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public
55	55	welfare requiring it, and applies to the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter.