Senate Bill 2317, also known as House Bill 2422, proposes significant changes to the assessment requirements for students in Tennessee. The bill deletes Section 49-6-6013 from the Tennessee Code Annotated and introduces a new section, 49-1-616, which establishes a pilot program aimed at evaluating the impact of reducing district- and state-mandated assessments on student academic success. The Department of Education is tasked with selecting up to ten local education agencies (LEAs) to participate in this pilot program, with specific eligibility criteria based on district designations, proficiency rates, and absenteeism rates. The bill outlines the limited assessments that participating LEAs must administer for the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 school years for students who score above the fortieth percentile on universal screeners.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for reporting student progress to parents and mandates that participating LEAs submit assessment results to the Department of Education by June 15, 2029. The Department will then evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program and report its findings to the General Assembly. Amendments to the bill clarify that LEAs failing to meet eligibility criteria for two consecutive years will be disqualified from the pilot program, and adjustments are made to the language regarding eligibility requirements. Overall, the bill aims to streamline assessments in early education while assessing their impact on student performance.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-6-6013
Amended with HA0878 -- 04/21/2026: 49-6-6013, 49-6-3115(a)(2)(A), 49-6-3115
Amended with HA0878, SA1107 -- 04/22/2026: 49-6-6013, 49-6-3115(a)(2)(A), 49-6-3115