Senate Bill 1272 amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to education, focusing on eligibility criteria for employees, leave policies, and funding allocations for local education agencies (LEAs). The bill defines "eligible employee" to include teachers and other licensed individuals who have been employed full-time for at least twelve consecutive months and have a valid license or emergency credential. It also modifies the provisions for paid leave, allowing it to be taken in increments of no less than one week within twelve months of a child's birth or adoption. Additionally, the bill changes the timeline for reporting average daily membership from July 1 to February 1 each year.

Further amendments include adjustments to funding allocations for LEAs, ensuring that no LEA's allocated education funding decreases by more than five percent from one year to the next. The bill also introduces new provisions regarding the enrollment of children in state custody, ensuring they are not denied admission due to lack of immunization records. Other changes involve the management of public virtual schools, setting an enrollment cap while allowing for exceptions based on student achievement growth. The act takes effect upon becoming law, emphasizing the public welfare.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 8-50-814(a)(2), 8-50-814, 8-50-814(d)(2), 49-1-201(c)(11), 49-1-201, 49-1-225(f), 49-1-225, 49-1-907, 49-2-136, 49-3-108, 49-3-359(c)(2), 49-3-359, 49-3-359(d), 49-6-1012(g), 49-6-1012, 49-6-3004(e), 49-6-3004, 49-6-3004(i)(1), 49-6-3004(i)(7)(A), 49-6-3115, 49-6-4108(a), 49-6-4108, 49-6-4108(c), 49-6-5001(c), 49-6-5001, 49-10-1405, 49-10-1402(3)(A), 49-10-1402, 49-16-211, 49-18-109