Tennessee General Assembly races to complete legislation before Cassada trial

The Germantown Municipal School District's Board of Education (B.O.E.) business meeting on March 26, 2025, focused on several key legislative updates affecting local education. As the Tennessee General Assembly approaches its end-of-session deadline, discussions highlighted the urgency of passing significant bills before the upcoming trial of former House Speaker Glenn Cassada.

One of the primary topics was House Bill 1162 and Senate Bill 1020, which would allow public charter schools to operate outside their designated geographic boundaries under specific conditions. An amendment was introduced to exempt municipalities in Shelby County from this bill, a move praised by local officials for preventing potential disruptions.

Another important piece of legislation discussed was House Bill 85 and Senate Bill 158, which aims to increase the minimum required physical activity for elementary students. The bill was amended to require 40 minutes of physical activity per day and is expected to pass through the legislative process smoothly.

Additionally, House Bill 1323 and Senate Bill 1311 propose changes to teacher licensure requirements, offering more flexibility in staffing career and technical education (CTE) courses. This bill has already passed the Senate unanimously and is set for further consideration in the House Finance Ways and Means Committee.

House Bill 91 and Senate Bill 636 seek to amend the state's Every Student Succeeds Act by removing end-of-course assessment requirements for high school students, allowing alternative assessments like the ACT or SAT to be used for accountability purposes. This bill is currently under review by the Senate Education Committee.

Lastly, House Bill 675 and Senate Bill 415 aim to include pre-kindergarten students with special education needs in the funding categories under the new funding model, TISA. Despite passing the Senate Education Committee, concerns were raised about the lack of funding for this initiative, with local leaders expressing frustration over the prioritization of voucher programs over essential special education funding.

The meeting underscored the pressing need for legislative action to address educational funding and policy changes, with the board committed to keeping the community informed on these developments.