Senate Bill 1719, also known as House Bill 1849, amends Tennessee law regarding the establishment and election of superintendents of schools. The bill allows counties or municipalities to create the office of an elected superintendent of schools through a majority vote of their legislative body. It specifies that if such an office is established, the existing contract of an appointed director of schools will not be affected, and the legislative body must fulfill any contractual obligations to the incumbent. Additionally, the local board of education is prohibited from appointing or extending the contract of a director of schools after the establishment of the elected position, although they may appoint an acting director until the elected superintendent is chosen.

The bill also outlines the qualifications required for a superintendent, which include holding a teacher's professional license with an endorsement as a principal or supervisor of instruction, possessing a master's degree, and having at least five years of combined teaching and administrative experience. Furthermore, it clarifies that all rights and powers of an appointed director will transfer to the elected superintendent once the office is established. The elected superintendent will serve a four-year term, with elections held during the general election in August. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-2-203(a)(13)(A), 49-2-203, 49-2-301(a), 49-2-301