House Bill 2129 and Senate Bill 2361 aim to enhance the oversight and evaluation of pre-kindergarten programs in Tennessee. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-108, by deleting the previous subdivision (6) and substituting it with a requirement for the Department of Education to provide a report to the governor and general assembly every three years. This report will detail the status of pre-kindergarten programs, including the number, location, and types of providers, as well as the number of at-risk children served, and it must be published on the department's website.

Additionally, the bill establishes a new section in Title 49, Chapter 1, Part 11, mandating the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) to conduct a comprehensive study on public school-administered early childhood education programs. This study will include an inventory of existing programs, an analysis of operational costs, funding sources, access and participation rates, comparisons with other states, and policy recommendations for future program development and funding strategies. TACIR is required to submit its findings and recommendations to the relevant legislative committees by September 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-6-108
Amended with SA0675 -- 03/23/2026: 49-6-108