House Bill 1323 aims to amend various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to teacher licensure, emphasizing the importance of staffing K-12 positions with fully licensed educators. The bill introduces new provisions for emergency teaching credentials, allowing local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to certify the inability to secure qualified teachers and subsequently grant temporary academic and clinical permits to individuals who meet specific criteria. These emergency credentials are valid until June 30 following their issuance and are not renewable, with additional stipulations regarding the assignment of mentor teachers and reporting requirements for any misconduct by permit holders.

The bill also modifies the eligibility criteria for limited occupational teaching licenses, requiring relevant work experience or active industry credentials, and mandates training in classroom management and ethics. It establishes that teachers with a valid license must have subject-specific endorsements to teach courses requiring end-of-course examinations unless they demonstrate sufficient content knowledge or possess a license endorsement exemption. Furthermore, the bill repeals certain existing sections and introduces new regulations regarding the teaching of physical education classes and the issuance of initial licenses. The act will take effect upon becoming law for rule promulgation purposes, with full implementation set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-5-106, 49-5-110, 49-5-112(a), 49-5-112, 49-5-114, 49-5-115, 49-6-1021(e), 49-6-1021, 49-6-6006