[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6147150,"mediaKeyId","5521970-8720bdedd3feea315a64397a38f557a5","parentId",5521970,"title","State Board reviews proposed rule changes on IEAs, innovative school districts and special education at July 24 hearing","audioSeconds",1760,"startMs",165000,"endMs",1925000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5521970-8720bdedd3feea315a64397a38f557a5&start=165&end=1925","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5521970-8720bdedd3feea315a64397a38f557a5/thumbnail_165000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6147150/Tennessee/State-Board-reviews-proposed-rule-changes-on-IEAs-innovative-school-districts-and-special-education-at-July-24-hearing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147150-5b24ed2c035ecf2ef9f70509db775f13/orig.mp4?Expires=1770725651&Signature=RkQzCEAnfiBJ3eVeVrdSRXHQUaczaPlutHQ0KOGE2yKNup6s4wGUEI8Yae6FgOFCZOPd75pYKm2laLj-lPBCHT4JCiHWZHhAtg400FHBu63SmHh9jx38deRGlWI~puSpQuQGLd9ZTja5iU5H5MoLgq7q1yFuYNPktj4YTOSzBRSTcEaAW41bxXh4ZTgcICBcaHxnsWCoi6m5S9xnAE1V~29Qj4RToO~12OjTYCcOxx6~uDgyY1U7D8CukjN3IQK2H6QQMD5WOGl494XLjqldk7tq9G6AhTf4d31qaM62ZJ~QonV6znZfOqZYDbKpMYw693jRVOmedkMZQKs~a83Pdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tennessee State Board of Education","date","2025-08-01T09:45:27.213Z","article","At a July 24 rulemaking hearing, Rachel Soupey, General Counsel and designated representative for the Tennessee State Board of Education, summarized four rule items under consideration and opened the record for public comment.

Soupey outlined the first item as revisions to Individual Education Accounts (IEA) Rule 5.21.11.2, noting that \"Section 21 of chapter 235 of the Public Acts of 2025 amended Tennessee Code Annotated 49-10-1402 by adding deafness as a qualifying disability for the IEA program.\" The rule revision would align the list of qualifying disabilities in the administrative rule with the statute.

The second item Soupey described was the Innovative School Districts Rule 5.20.01.25, which \"establishes a process by which universities may apply to operate their training schools through an innovative school district,\" reflecting changes enacted in Chapter 1053 of the Public Acts of 2024, codified at TCA 49-8-15.

The third item concerns academic and instructional requirements in Rule 5.21.3.6 regarding graduation requirements. Soupey said the proposed change would clarify that students pursuing an alternate academic diploma must receive at least one credit of computer science education, modified as needed to meet individual needs. Soupey also stated the item \"does not propose any changes to the world language graduation requirements\" and that any future change to world language requirements would trigger its own rulemaking hearing.

The fourth item is Special Education Rule 5.201.90.24 relating to functional behavior assessments (FBA) and behavior intervention plans (BIP). Soupey said the proposed revisions clarify that, while state and federal law encourage educating students with disabilities alongside nondisabled peers, an IEP team may determine a more restrictive environment is needed if a student's pattern of behavior places the student or others at risk; the rule clarifies that the FBA and BIP may be conducted in the more restrictive environment.

Procedural notes: Soupey explained how to participate, that a red-line version of the rules was available online and at the hearing, and that oral commenters had three minutes each. She told attendees written comments should be emailed to sbe.rulemaking.public.comments@tn.gov and must be received by 9 a.m. Central on Tuesday, July 29, to be considered. Soupey said the board plans to take a final-reading vote on the rules at its quarterly meeting on Aug. 15, 2025; if adopted on final reading, the rules would be sent to the Attorney General's Office for review, published with the Secretary of State for 90 days and presented to the Joint Government Operations Committee of the Tennessee House and Senate.

No board motions or votes occurred during the hearing; the meeting was a public-comment session to inform potential revisions.

Soupey adjourned the hearing after public comments and reminded attendees that the board places \"student need\" at the center of decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","State Board of Education Rulemaking Hearing - July 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a July 24 rulemaking hearing, Rachel Soupey, General Counsel and designated representative for the Tennessee State Board of Education, summarized four rule items under consideration and opened the record for public comment.","taxTitle","State Board of Education, Deparments in Office of the Governor, Organizations, Executive, Tennessee","taxId",36988,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":46,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6147154,"Teachers, students and language advocates urge State Board to retain world language graduation requirement",1287,638000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5521970-8720bdedd3feea315a64397a38f557a5&start=638&end=1925","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5521970-8720bdedd3feea315a64397a38f557a5/thumbnail_638000.jpg","/articles/6147154/Tennessee/Teachers-students-and-language-advocates-urge-State-Board-to-retain-world-language-graduation-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147154-ab31193c881760aac0ecdc37e3258ae6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770725651&Signature=UBMyCvvtTfDoWIoSvA8Q13pJ8MMxPOpAaZ8O95hRRoqmmHw6nD-3t35cb8BGDKQ2cgBr53sPZi30~YjSqzNThIV6cCKka5I9l7TwHsZvC~GSY~pyEkd8J8XkT8g-KO2~QcgK48ICVIHwPebrd2Lx9i6NdSSOOMKkcU8i8s5qPjxZDdzJdTZ0N7c2AS1qgDO349grEEVfXYMfnroxwC3iNIkDcLhC3ZuNd1073CphjKwwYZxpJ5TD~ZVDw7ckcqkdyIDVZu0ziIrAMtAhKFsVRrFAEh2ZRYJXsY2RYePgdv6LHldZesjUXyGZaydSPqEEonU3xYyLsqDHTv5GANkFKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a July 24 rulemaking hearing of the Tennessee State Board of Education, educators, students and language advocates spoke in opposition to removing the two-credit world language requirement from high school graduation requirements and urged the board to preserve the requirement.

Rachel Soupey, General Counsel for the State Board of Education and the board's designated representative, opened the hearing and reviewed proposed rule revisions, noting that \"this item does not propose any changes to the world language graduation requirements.\" She also explained the public-comment process and deadlines for written submissions.

Why it matters: World language educators and students told the board they consider a two-credit requirement essential for college readiness, workforce competitiveness and long-term cognitive benefits. Speakers said the policy opens opportunities they otherwise would not have had and warned that removing the requirement could deepen disparities between districts.

Gibson Keith, Advocacy Committee Chair of the Tennessee World Language Teachers Association, told the board that \"retaining the 2 credit world language graduation requirement is not just about curriculum. It's about ensuring our students that are equipped for the world that they are entering.\" He said the requirement is \"not a burden, it is an opportunity\" and urged the board to preserve it.

Roxanna McCommon, a world language content specialist who has served as World Language Supervisor for Memphis-Shelby County Schools and worked with business and chamber partners, said removing the requirement could \"place our students at a disadvantage\" and expressed concern that rural districts may lose access to language courses. She cited data presented to her showing demand for language proficiency in Tennessee jobs and asked for greater transparency and broader stakeholder involvement in any future rulemaking.

Matthew Harrison, a Spanish teacher at Sullivan East High School and adjunct faculty member, said the policy discussion itself has already \"could dismantle years of progress\" and described concrete student benefits in his classes, including college credit earned through advanced language courses and career outcomes tied to language skills.

Several current and recent college students described personal experiences they tied directly to the state's language requirement. Emma Hatcher, a student at East Tennessee State University who studied in Mexico, said, \"It's an absolute mistake\" to eliminate the requirement and called the policy a \"ladder for opportunity.\" Mikayla Webb, a junior at East Tennessee State University, described how language study changed her academic and career path and said, \"Foreign language isn't just a subject, it's a bridge to opportunity.\" Helder Monet Weil, a classroom teacher with more than 15 years' experience, said students frequently tell him, \"I wish I'd taken Spanish in high school,\" and urged the board to maintain access.

Charles Cooper, a professor of medieval Latin and Greek in Knoxville speaking as a private citizen, asked the board to slow the timeline for any change because \"12 months from initial presentation to statewide implementation is very fast for such a consequential decision,\" and warned that moving too quickly \"could significantly disadvantage future generations of students.\"

What the board said: Soupey reiterated that the current rule package under consideration does not propose removing the world language graduation requirement and explained the administrative timeline: written comments are due by 9 a.m. Central on Tuesday, July 29; the board plans a final-reading vote on the rules at its quarterly meeting on Aug. 15, 2025; if adopted on final reading, rules will be sent to the Attorney General's Office, published with the Secretary of State for 90 days, and go before the Joint Government Operations Committee of the Tennessee House and Senate.

Public process details: Speakers were allotted three minutes each for oral comment; written comments may be emailed to sbe.rulemaking.public.comments@tn.gov by the July 29 deadline. The hearing record will be provided to State Board members ahead of their August meeting.

The hearing closed with Soupey thanking attendees and noting that \"student need is at the center of every decision that the board makes.\"","At a July 24 Tennessee State Board of Education rulemaking hearing, multiple educators, students and language experts urged the board to keep the two-credit world language graduation requirement and to slow any timeline for changing the policy; board counsel said the proposed rules under review do not remove that requirement.","actionData","errors"]

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State Board reviews proposed rule changes on IEAs, innovative school districts and special education at July 24 hearing

Teachers, students and language advocates urge State Board to retain world language graduation requirement