Senate Bill 870 aims to enhance educator evaluations in Tennessee by mandating a comprehensive analysis of current teacher evaluation practices. By June 1, 2025, the Department of Education, in collaboration with the State Board of Education, is required to conduct a landscape analysis of teacher evaluation practices both within the state and in other states. Additionally, the bill establishes a Teacher Evaluation Advisory Committee, composed of experienced educators and experts, to review and assess the existing evaluation practices. This committee will report its findings and recommendations to the Department of Education before it is disbanded.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that the Department of Education must present the findings from the advisory committee and the landscape analysis to the State Board of Education. A final report, which will include the committee's recommendations and any additional suggestions from the Department or the State Board, is to be submitted to the relevant education committees in both the Senate and the House of Representatives by January 31, 2026. The act will take effect upon becoming law, emphasizing the importance of improving teacher evaluation processes for the benefit of educators and students alike.