This bill deletes and changes various present law provisions pertaining to education, as follows:
(1) Deletes a general requirement that the commissioner of education supervise high schools and furnish blank forms;
(2) Deletes a requirement that the department develop a model student records policy by December 31, 2014, and that an LEA adopt the model policy or develop its own policy prior to the beginning of school for the 2015-2016 school year;
(3) Changes a requirement that the department produce an annual report on LEAs' physical education programs. Under this bill, the department will be required to make the report upon request of the governor, the education committee of the senate, or either education committee of the house of representatives. This bill makes a similar change concerning the annual report produced by the office of coordinated school health in the department of education concerning implementation of physical activity requirements and the attendant requirement that LEAs annually report verification of meeting the physical activity requirements;
(4) Changes the approval process for LEAs to use mechanical signing equipment for public school warrants by removing the requirement that the commissioner approve such use. Under this bill, only the comptroller's approval will be required for such use;
(5) Deletes the requirement that a local board of education obtain the commissioner's approval before negotiating with a low bidder on a school building project for the purpose of getting the price within budget;
(6) Deletes the requirement that an LEA notify the department of an election against hiring or contracting for a school nurse and the alternative arrangement that the LEA has made to meet the health needs of its students;
(7) Deletes the requirement that a local board of education have the approval of the state board of education for personnel standards over and above those required by the state board;
(8) Changes the approval process for school system employee sick banks to make the local board of education, rather than the commissioner of education, the approving authority;
(9) Deletes a requirement that the commissioner report to the state board of education the number of Tennessee candidates for certification by the National Board for Professional Teacher Standards and the number attaining the certification;
(10) Deletes a requirement that LEAs submit to the department verification of implementation of instructional requirements concerning the U.S. and Tennessee governments;
(11) Deletes a requirement that the commissioner advise all local boards of education of the requirements that cursive writing be taught in public schools;
(12) Changes a requirement that the Tennessee financial literacy commission make an annual report on its activities to the general assembly. Under this bill, the commission will be required to make the report upon request of the governor, the education committee of the senate, or either education committee of the house of representatives;
(13) Deletes the requirement that the department provide guidance to LEAs concerning donating out-of-inventory computers;
(14) Deletes a requirement that the commissioner require that in-service training include the teaching of the components of the Juvenile Offender Act to all teachers and principals in grades seven through twelve;
(15) Deletes a requirement that a director of schools notify the commissioner when a local board of education approves a local director's recommendation not to enroll a student who is suspended or expelled from an LEA;
(16) Changes a requirement that the advisory council for alternative education make an annual report on the state of alternative education in Tennessee. Under this bill, the advisory council will be required to make the report upon request of the governor, the education committee of the senate, or either education committee of the house of representatives;
(17) Changes a requirement that LEAs make an annual report to the department on the use of corporal punishment. Under this bill, an LEA will be required to make the report upon request of the governor, the education committee of the senate, or either education committee of the house of representatives;
(18) Deletes a requirement that LEAs submit copies of their policies prohibiting harassment, intimidation, bullying, or cyber-bullying to the commissioner at least once every three years; and
(19) Deletes requirement that LEAs submit to the department documentation of compliance with present law requirement that information concerning state-mandated tests be posted on LEAs' websites.
ON MARCH 7, 2022, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2166, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 deletes this bill's sections that would have made the changes described above in the bill summary in items (3) regarding physical activity and (17) regarding the report on corporal punishment. This amendment also removes the bill section that would have replaced the present law requirement for the department to report on its website the number of instances of corporal punishment in each LEA and the number of instances involving a student with an active individualized education program or an active 504 plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to instead require the department to post reports submitted to the department regarding corporal punishment on the department's website.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-1-201(c)(16), 49-1-201, 49-1-704(d)(2), 49-1-704, 49-1-1007, 49-2-113, 49-2-203(a)(3)(D)(i)(c), 49-2-203, 49-3-359(c)(1), 49-3-359, 49-5-506, 49-5-803, 49-5-804(1), 49-5-804, 49-5-805(b), 49-5-805, 49-5-5609, 49-6-1021(c), 49-6-1021, 49-6-1021(f), 49-6-1028(d)(4), 49-6-1028, 49-6-1034(b), 49-6-1034, 49-6-1708, 49-6-2007(f)(1), 49-6-2007, 49-6-3004(c)(1)(A), 49-6-3004, 49-6-3401(f), 49-6-3401, 49-6-3404(e)(5), 49-6-3404, 49-6-4108(a), 49-6-4108, 49-6-4108(c), 49-6-4504, 49-6-6007(c)(3), 49-6-6007
Current Version: 49-1-201(c)(16), 49-1-201, 49-1-704(d)(2), 49-1-704, 49-1-1007, 49-2-113, 49-2-203(a)(3)(D)(i)(c), 49-2-203, 49-3-359(c)(1), 49-3-359, 49-5-506, 49-5-803, 49-5-804(1), 49-5-804, 49-5-805(b), 49-5-805, 49-5-5609, 49-6-1021(c), 49-6-1021, 49-6-1021(f), 49-6-1028(d)(4), 49-6-1028, 49-6-1034(b), 49-6-1034, 49-6-1708, 49-6-2007(f)(1), 49-6-2007, 49-6-3004(c)(1)(A), 49-6-3004, 49-6-3401(f), 49-6-3401, 49-6-3404(e)(5), 49-6-3404, 49-6-4108(a), 49-6-4108, 49-6-4108(c), 49-6-4504, 49-6-6007(c)(3), 49-6-6007