SENATE BILL 7002
By Johnson AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
Chapter 6, relative to the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, is amended by adding the following as a new part:
49-6-1501. Short title. This part is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act."
49-6-1502. Definitions.
As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) "After-school learning mini-camp" means an after-school educational program, as part of the learning loss remediation and student acceleration program, that is designed to remediate student learning loss and support student academic needs using an educational approach to learning that uses science,
technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM) as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. An after-school learning mini-camp must provide, at a minimum, the following:
(A) One (1) hour of in-person educational instruction provided at
least four (4) days per week by a licensed teacher or Tennessee accelerating literacy and learning corps member. The educational instruction must be designed to engage students in STEAM instruction,
activities, and learning;
(B) At least one (1) snack per student per day;
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(C) Stipends to teachers, tutors, and staff providing educational services to students in the after-school learning mini-camp; and
(D) A state-adopted benchmark assessment administered:
(i) To students in person as a pre-test at the beginning of
the after-school learning mini-camp each school year; and
(ii) To students in person as a post-test at the end of the after-school learning mini-camp each school year, the results of
which must be submitted to the department;
(2) "Department" means the department of education;
(3) "Learning loss" means the loss of academic knowledge or skills previously acquired or a pause in academic advancement, most commonly due to extended time away from school or in-person instruction;
(4) "Learning loss bridge camp" means a four-week educational program conducted each year before the beginning of the school year, as part of the learning loss remediation and student acceleration program, that is designed to
support student academic needs and remediate student learning loss. A learning loss bridge camp must provide, at a minimum, the following:
(A) Four (4) combined hours of in-person daily instruction,
intervention, and supplemental supports in reading and math, provided five (5) days per week. Each LEA or participating public charter school conducting a learning loss bridge camp shall determine the number of
minutes of instruction, intervention, and supplement supports per subject;
provided, that all students must receive at least one (1) hour of instruction in reading and one (1) hour of instruction in math per day. Instruction,
intervention, and supplemental supports in reading and math must be
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provided by a teacher licensed and endorsed to teach the subjects and grades served, a candidate enrolled in an educator preparation program,
or a person with a college degree who has successfully completed a learning loss and remediation and student acceleration program preparation course, using instructional materials adopted by the state board of education or provided by the department;
(B) One (1) hour of response to instruction and intervention (RTI²)
services per day, provided in person five (5) days per week pursuant to
Tennessee's response to instruction and intervention framework manual;
(C) One (1) hour of physical activity per day, provided five (5)
days per week;
(D) Lunch and at least one (1) snack or breakfast per day,
provided to each student five (5) days per week;
(E) Stipends to teachers, tutors, and staff providing educational services to students in the learning loss bridge camp; and
(F) A state-adopted benchmark assessment administered:
(i) To students in person as a pre-test at the beginning of
the learning loss bridge camp each year; and
(ii) To students in person as a post-test at the end of the learning loss bridge camp each year, the results of which must be
submitted to the department;
(5) "Learning loss remediation and student acceleration program" means
a program established and administered by the department to aid LEAs and public charter schools in remediating learning loss by facilitating the provision of
educational services to students in person outside of the regular school day,
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including through after-school learning mini-camps, learning loss bridge camps,
and summer learning camps;
(6) "Priority student" means:
(A) For purposes of an after-school learning mini-camp:
(i) A student who completed third or fourth grade in the immediately preceding school year and scored below proficient in
math or English language arts on the student's most recent Tennessee comprehensive assessment program (TCAP) test;
(ii) A student who completed kindergarten, first, or second grade in the immediately preceding school year and attends a school in which fewer than fifty percent (50%) of the students in
grades three through five (3-5) scored proficient in math or English language arts on the most recently administered TCAP test;
(iii) A student who completed kindergarten, first, second,
third, or fourth grade in the immediately preceding school year and is eligible for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF); or
(iv) A student who completed kindergarten, first, second,
or third grade in the immediately preceding school year and scored below proficient in math or English language arts on the student's most recent state-adopted benchmark assessment,
Tennessee universal math screener, Tennessee universal reading screener, universal reading screener, or, for after-school learning mini-camps conducted in the 2021-2022 school year, response to
instruction and intervention (RTI²) screener;
(B) For purposes of a learning loss bridge camp:
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(i) A student who will be entering the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade in the 2021-2022 or 2022-2023 school year who scored below proficient in math or English language arts on the student's most recent TCAP test or state-adopted benchmark assessment; or
(ii) A student who will be entering the fourth, fifth, sixth,
seventh, or eighth grade in the 2023-2024 school year, or in a subsequent school year, who scored below proficient in math or
English language arts on the student's most recent TCAP test or
state-adopted benchmark assessment; and
(C) For purposes of a summer learning camp, a student who:
(i) Completed third or fourth grade in the immediately preceding school year and scored below proficient in math or
English language arts on the student's most recent TCAP test;
(ii) Completed kindergarten, first, or second grade in the immediately preceding school year and attends a public school or
public charter school in which fewer than fifty percent (50%) of students in grades three through five (3-5) scored proficient in
math or English language arts on the most recently administered TCAP test;
(iii) Completed kindergarten, first, second, third, or fourth grade in the immediately preceding school year and is eligible for temporary assistance for needy families (TANF); or
(iv) Completed kindergarten, first, second, or third grade in
the immediately preceding school year and scored below
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proficient in math or English language arts on the student's most recent state-adopted benchmark assessment, Tennessee universal math screener, Tennessee universal reading screener,
universal reading screener, or, for summer learning camps conducted in the summer immediately following the 2020-2021
school year, response to instruction and intervention (RTI²)
screener;
(7) "State-adopted benchmark assessment" means an assessment created under the innovative benchmark assessment pilot program established under § 49-6-1508;
(8) "Stipend" means:
(A) The compensation provided to teachers for providing educational services to students in after-school learning mini-camps,
learning loss bridge camps, or summer learning camps based on:
(i) Factors such as the teacher's level of overall effectiveness score or other performance data; ability to support student populations with unique needs; or license or endorsement to teach a hard-to staff-subject area; and
(ii) A differentiated stipend plan developed by the department that provides teachers with at least one thousand dollars ($1,000) per week in compensation, but no more than twenty-five percent (25%) above the weekly compensation rate of
the highest salary step for teachers in the LEA's salary schedule;
and
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(B) The compensation provided to tutors and staff for providing educational services to students in after-school learning mini-camps,
learning loss bridge camps, and summer learning camps, as determined by the respective local board of education or governing body of a participating public charter school;
(9) "Summer learning camp" means a six-week summer educational program, as part of the learning loss remediation and student acceleration program, that is designed to support student academic needs and remediate student learning loss. A summer learning camp must provide, at a minimum, the following:
(A) Four (4) combined hours of in-person daily instruction,
intervention, and supplemental supports in reading and math, provided five (5) days per week. Each LEA or participating public charter school conducting a summer learning camp shall determine the number of
minutes of instruction, intervention, and supplement supports per subject;
provided, that all students must receive at least one (1) hour of instruction in reading and one (1) hour of instruction in math per day. Instruction,
intervention, and supplemental supports in reading and math must be
provided by a teacher licensed and endorsed to teach the subjects and grades served, a candidate enrolled in an educator preparation program,
or a person with a college degree who has successfully completed a learning loss and remediation and student acceleration program preparation course, using instructional materials adopted by the state board of education or provided by the department;
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(B) One (1) hour of RTI² services per day, provided in person five
(5) days per week pursuant to Tennessee's response to instruction and intervention framework manual;
(C) One (1) hour of physical activity per day, provided five (5)
days per week;
(D) Lunch and at least one (1) snack or breakfast per day,
provided to each student five (5) days per week;
(E) Stipends to teachers, tutors, and staff providing educational services to students in the summer learning camp; and
(F) A state-adopted benchmark assessment administered:
(i) To students in person as a pre-test at the beginning of
the summer learning camp each year; and
(ii) To students in person as a post-test at the end of the summer learning camp each year, the results of which must be
submitted to the department;
(10) "Tennessee universal math screener" means the uniform tool that screens and monitors a student's progress toward proficiency in math that is
provided to LEAs and public charter schools by the department as part of the innovative benchmark assessment pilot program;
(11) "Tennessee universal reading screener" means the universal reading screener that is provided to LEAs and public charter schools by the department as part of the innovative benchmark assessment pilot program; and
(12) "Universal reading screener" means a uniform tool that screens and monitors a student's progress towards phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, and comprehension.
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49-6-1503. The learning loss remediation and student acceleration program.
(a) The department shall establish and administer a learning loss remediation and student acceleration program by:
(1) Determining program requirements and a procedure for allocating funding to each LEA and participating public charter school for conducting after-
school learning mini-camps and summer learning camps. LEAs and participating public charter schools are only required to conduct summer learning camps in
the summers immediately following the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years;
(2) Determining program requirements and a procedure for allocating funding to each LEA and participating public charter school for conducting learning loss bridge camps, which must be conducted annually beginning in the summer of 2021;
(3) Providing training, technical assistance, and guidance to LEAs and participating public charter schools conducting after-school learning mini-camps,
learning loss bridge camps, and summer learning camps;
(4) Implementing a learning loss remediation and student acceleration program preparation course to train and certify individuals who do not possess a teaching license to provide educational instruction as part of after-school learning mini-camps, learning loss bridge camps, and summer learning camps; and
(5) Implementing a two-week summer professional development program on reading instruction for educators teaching English language arts or reading at
no cost to LEAs or public charter schools.
(b)
(1) Each LEA shall participate in the learning loss remediation and student acceleration program by:
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(A) Implementing and conducting after-school learning mini-
camps and summer learning camps for students, including students enrolled in a public charter school located within the geographic boundaries of the LEA. LEAs are only required to conduct summer learning camps in the summers immediately following the 2020-2021 and
2021-2022 school years;
(B) Implementing and conducting learning loss bridge camps for students, including students enrolled in a public charter school located within the geographic boundaries of the LEA, annually beginning in the summer of 2021; and
(C) Subject to available funding, providing all priority students,
including priority students enrolled in a public charter school located within the geographic boundaries of the LEA, the opportunity to enroll in
an after-school learning mini-camp, learning loss bridge camp, or summer learning camp, and, subject to the availability of additional seats after an
LEA conducts the initial enrollment period for priority students pursuant to
§ 49-6-1504(b), providing students, including students enrolled in a public charter school located within the geographic boundaries of the LEA, who are not priority students with the opportunity to enroll in an after-school learning mini-camp, learning loss bridge camp, or summer learning camp.
(2) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b)(1)(A) and (B), two (2) or more LEAs,
public charter schools, or a combination of both may jointly establish an after-
school learning mini-camp, learning loss bridge camp, or summer learning camp that may be attended by students enrolled in the respective LEA or public charter school, subject to the requirements of subdivision (b)(1)(C).
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(3) An LEA or public charter school may send students to an after-school learning mini-camp, learning loss bridge camp, or summer learning camp located in the LEA or conducted by the participating public charter school, or that is
located in another LEA or conducted by another participating public charter school, subject to the requirements of subdivision (b)(1)(C).
(4) Public charter schools may conduct after-school learning mini-camps,
learning loss bridge camps, and summer learning camps for the public charter school's students, rather than enrolling the public charter school's students in the camps conducted by the LEA within the boundaries of which the public charter school is located. If a public charter school conducts after-school learning mini-
camps, learning loss bridge camps, or summer learning camps, then the public charter school must do so in compliance with this part.
(c)
(1) Funding for after-school learning mini-camps, learning loss bridge camps, and summer learning camps may be used to:
(A) Develop and implement detailed instructional programming plans for after-school learning mini-camps, learning loss bridge camps,
and summer learning camps using instructional materials adopted by the state board of education;
(B) Provide instructional and supervisory staff for after-school learning mini