[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,76,88],{"_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",6500248,"mediaKeyId","5594176-5cc994886915f7b825417fca989699a5","parentId",5594176,"title","State Board approves rule and policy package including licensure, charter, PE and accountability hearing rules","audioSeconds",4739,"startMs",6037000,"endMs",10776000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5594176-5cc994886915f7b825417fca989699a5&start=6037&end=10776","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5594176-5cc994886915f7b825417fca989699a5/thumbnail_6037000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6500248/Tennessee/State-Board-approves-rule-and-policy-package-including-licensure-charter-PE-and-accountability-hearing-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500248-8f8dc80e39fadfb70d35baa0026a6720/orig.mp4?Expires=1770589603&Signature=f-VMc~dCVaosE4W-K4R7yr-gImV4FUafqfRz7o4MMr9TOVcdp9~kpgpfKiWDxhKZwPsSmhcIBfSh-JSM5ZWNIVpJKwoRmZPJmb0GAi0MZvdCEh40LnGVmMzBpK7nb9Rpt2rwLKpE~AY1lgNq5CNr16MTkpP9n~ri1rYnrzCxV2TyMyxmX0taLcxe1W8IKzU8WUdyDhx~JTn1o-gYbKnqn4XvmiS-AugcKDM6eclFYKGC0CJl2zfuN2pe1iWUG9fb2KwYIuvuYkNDykjXTYVgSn0oX4qiA8BpaWl9aKBjQtxigg7-eUmnDACGkjb0c0eJ3aeSuS2F~zJx9-3ElpRsKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State Board of Education","date","2025-08-18T15:25:59Z","article","The Tennessee State Board of Education approved a broad package of rules and policies on Aug. 7, advancing several items on first reading and adopting a number of final rules the board said are designed to align board policy with recent legislation and to update operational guidance.

Key first-reading approvals included updates to licensure and evaluation policies, career and technical education standards, charter school rules and physical-activity guidance. The board accepted those items on first reading by voice votes; several will be subject to rule-making hearings and additional public feedback prior to final adoption. Mary Ann Durske (chief financial officer at the Department of Education) and several department staff made presentations for informational items such as the TISA allocations and virtual education report.

On final reading the board approved multiple rule changes and actions. Highlights and vote outcomes (roll-call where recorded) are below:

Votes at a glance

- Innovative school district rule (Rule 052000125): approved on final reading (roll call 9-0). The rule establishes the pathway for public universities operating training schools to apply to be recognized as an innovative school district. Department and board staff noted minor clarifications between first and final reading.

- Educator licensure emergency rules (Rules 0520-02, -03, -07, -11, -12, -13): approved on final reading (roll call 9-0). The rules align licensure types and limited-license pathways with recent legislation (Public Chapter 328 of 2025) and were adopted as emergency rules to take effect for the 2025-26 school year. A permanent version will be subject to later rule-making.

- Educator licensure policy 5.502 (final reading): approved (voice). The policy removes sunset dates for certain early-childhood integrated endorsements to support workforce reciprocity and reactivation pathways.

- Graduation requirements (Rule 05200010306, final reading): approved (roll call 9-0). The final rule clarifies that students pursuing the alternate academic diploma must receive at least one credit in computer science (which may be modified) and updates the graduation distinction language to reference all-state arts organizations.

- Functional behavior assessments and behavior intervention plans (Rule 05200010924, final reading): approved (roll call 9-0). The rule clarifies that an IEP team may change a student's least-restrictive environment consistent with IDEA and that an FBA/BIP may be conducted while a student is placed in a more restrictive setting. The board received four written comments at the rule-making hearing; staff made clarifying edits between first and final reading.

- Accountability hearings rules (Rules 05200090201''\u0004, final reading): approved (roll call 9-0). These rules implement the statutory process that allows the State Board to hold hearings with LEAs and charter operators for schools receiving a D or F letter grade. The board will appoint a hearing committee and expects to begin hearings in March 2026 after grades are posted.

- Individualized Education Accounts rule update (Rule 0520011102, final reading): approved (roll call 9-0). The revision adds deafness to the list of qualifying disabilities following legislative change.

The board also approved numerous items on first reading that will return for final vote after notice and, where required, a rule-making hearing. Those included: the leave rule for teachers, educator evaluation policy 5.201, educator licensure permanent-rule updates (for later permanent adoption), literacy and specialty-area standards policy 5.505, the physical education and physical activity policy 4.206 (first reading; staff will revisit language around middle school PE minutes), updated career and technical education standards and new agriculture courses, course-access rule updates, and a set of charter-related rules and policies and related authorizer standards and evaluations.

Board chair Gary Eby and department staff emphasized that many of the updates align board policy with recent public chapters passed by the legislature and that staff will continue stakeholder engagement between first and final readings where required. Board members asked staff to provide visuals and timelines on some multi-step processes (for example, the accountability hearings schedule) and established a small member committee to review underutilized facility reporting tied to charter applications.

Why it matters: the package changes reflect statutory updates and administrative adjustments that affect licensure pathways, charter authorizing processes, physical activity requirements in elementary schools, and the board's ability to hold hearings on low-performing schools. Several items include implementation guidance or require further public input before finalization.

Sources: State Board of Education meeting presentation, motions and roll-call votes on Aug. 7, 2025.

Note: This article summarizes multiple separate votes and staff presentations and does not attempt to exhaustively list every routine consent item adopted on voice vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","August 15, 2025 SBE Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its Aug. 7 meeting the Tennessee State Board of Education approved a batch of rule and policy changes on first and final reading, including emergency licensure rules, charter rules, physical activity policy updates and the accountability-hearings framework; the board also scheduled follow-ups and rulemaking hearings where required.","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":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6500252,"State report: virtual public schools underperform in growth metrics, board seeks enrollment and intervention data",396,640000,1036000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5594176-5cc994886915f7b825417fca989699a5&start=640&end=1036","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5594176-5cc994886915f7b825417fca989699a5/thumbnail_640000.jpg","/articles/6500252/Tennessee/State-report-virtual-public-schools-underperform-in-growth-metrics-board-seeks-enrollment-and-intervention-data","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500252-3c1cab6385c981408237d5951893f8b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770589604&Signature=lhQY~syLdszJx~ADLNEswT2h76Cy4e2GOVfF18477BPZsVtYjW3dS6w6ADv1qP3b2dblmO6vGvXkgdThHkacIr4vkGFJ3IHhg5spkgcp0iQUD-SNUJtT3u~QxDV6m67z2ingXpzKTQB0OZSbZ7ymRCgkmralmOUhhwtrfop9020Vh8z1dnNYE8sByatF7MoXB9~LnXtY5SsgwyCLjgJzij0ANrv6TgAPTF8YRQY0L7dSfNylbwMUnp7LhRMG1LLcyqX6Majyr2XhZH9O2Z9tC39dEkHwZZDkrvXOukFbSLV~6rQ~rZH9vaS70KYjDak9DPpidG2EJHCMHr6kXbLeyQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee Department of Education presented its 2023-24 virtual education program report on Aug. 7, telling the State Board of Education that public virtual schools in the state continue to underperform on growth measures compared with traditional brick-and-mortar schools.

Lexi Harless, policy and research analyst at the department, summarized the report and answered board questions. \"Public virtual schools are also held to the same rigorous standards as traditional brick and mortar public schools and are funded in the same manner,\" Harless said, adding that state law gives the commissioner authority to recommend closure or enrollment caps for virtual schools that score at the lowest growth level for three consecutive years.

Board members pressed for more granular data after Harless noted that, \"historically, public virtual schools underperform compared to those in-person schools.\" Ryan Holt asked about a line in the report showing that roughly 62% of virtual schools scored a level 1 on the state's growth metric for the past year and requested approximate student enrollment counts in those level-1 schools and how many have had level-1 results for three consecutive years, which could trigger state intervention. Harless said the appendices include per-school enrollment and letter-grade data and that the department would provide specific counts on request.

Board members also queried whether synchronous versus asynchronous program models had differing outcomes; Harless said she did not have that breakdown immediately available but would work with program staff to provide it.

Harless described the department's accountability and monitoring framework for public virtual schools: LEAs must approve virtual schools; the department reviews applications and monitors operations, teacher licensure, instructional materials alignment and annual school plans; and virtual schools earn letter grades under the state's accountability framework. She reiterated that the state has additional statutory oversight when a virtual school persists at poor growth levels.

Why it matters: the report shows a concentration of low-growth virtual programs and raises questions about the department's capacity to identify persistent underperformance and the potential for state intervention under existing law.

Follow-up: the board asked department staff to provide further breakdowns, including enrollment counts for level-1 virtual schools, the number of schools with multi-year low-growth histories, and any available comparisons between synchronous and asynchronous models.

Sources: Presentation and Q&A at the State Board of Education meeting, Aug. 7, 2025.

Note: The article reports figures and program descriptions given in the department presentation; where the department lacked immediate data, the board requested follow-up information instead of drawing conclusions.","Tennessee Department of Education presented the 2023-24 annual report on public virtual schools, noting that a majority of virtual schools scored in the lowest growth level and that additional enrollment and longitudinal intervention data will be provided to the board on request.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6500257,"State Board suspends teacher license for three years in Joseph Dalton case after divided vote",3755,1520000,5275000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5594176-5cc994886915f7b825417fca989699a5&start=1520&end=5275","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5594176-5cc994886915f7b825417fca989699a5/thumbnail_1520000.jpg","/articles/6500257/Tennessee/State-Board-suspends-teacher-license-for-three-years-in-Joseph-Dalton-case-after-divided-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500257-2cb8c5bc7038f8c7951288d67b76636f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770589604&Signature=OOQMaEhJtBkVx87s~K8SqppEWHW2AoUsRI6pwWD-auBwitqqI95x~2lkMn3TmUQOyVfSkg3HgvVYRArsfnHBUJz1eCPn9qedJNhEQ6l8t0ISbHogq7gQLvHTWNJ~OUVTM6nuh7xPespi-bNvHQ5uC5V7EIAJJmLjo5wIUsZjPvXcx3FgtT0MdFucABKJRBDS2MxjPcxOdovOLxXPXglh9gLVCco1sJWMZl2jgKUwL8YTcMy-lKARoCdRBVWNGI~xaEV2UPMOUjmhQKwdpQYQfK~xQ1tUooTjrHc-F-evlv-muodQwOhLLuv7vC7Q474Hir1F6uCXo0QihasiVKg3~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee State Board of Education voted 7-2 on Aug. 7 to suspend the license of educator Joseph Dalton for three years and require conditions before any reinstatement.

Board members acted after hearing from the department's legal team about criminal proceedings and reviewing limited investigative materials. Todd Madison, senior associate counsel for the board, told members the criminal case resulted in Dalton pleading guilty to five counts described as \"offensive touching\" and receiving six months of criminal probation.

The board's action follows an earlier motion, offered by State Board member Mister Mollenhauer, to revoke Dalton's license outright; that motion failed on a 4-5 roll call vote. Mollenhauer told the board, \"Even if we don't have video footage of it, we have someone who's pled guilty to five counts of misdemeanor assault. Do we want this person in the classroom now, and do we want them in a classroom ever?\" He later moved to revoke; the motion failed.

After further discussion, the board adopted a different penalty. The final motion, moved and restated by the chair and supported by a second, directed a three-year suspension and specified conditions for reinstatement: completion of 50 hours of professional development focused on in-classroom behavior, a clinical assessment with written confirmation from a licensed clinician, and an in-person appearance before the State Board to present documentation for the board's consideration. Alex Anderson, associate counsel for the board, and Taylor Jenkins, deputy general counsel at the Tennessee Department of Education, clarified that the board can specify hours and topics for professional development and that reinstatement under the board's rules will require proof of compliance.

Board members split over proportionality and precedent. Several members said the criminal plea and underlying facts warranted permanent revocation; others said the evidence provided to the board'notably a short set of security video excerpts and a law enforcement affidavit'was limited and counseled a sanction that allowed for remediation. Miss Johnson said she found revocation \"a little harsh\" for a longtime teacher and favored counseling or professional development. Mister Jensen and Mister Mollenhauer pointed to the guilty plea and public safety concerns in urging stronger sanctions.

The motion that passed requires Dalton to complete the specified professional development and the clinical review during the three-year suspension. Only after presenting proof of those conditions to the State Board would the board vote on whether to reinstate his license. Board counsel noted Dalton would still have due-process rights: he may consent to the order or seek a contested hearing within the statutory timeframe if he contests the terms.

The board's final roll-call on the motion was recorded as 7 ayes and 2 nays. Earlier in the meeting the board approved a broader set of licensure discipline items as a consent agenda by roll call, and approved automatic license actions by roll call as well.

The board and counsel stressed that their deliberations rested on the materials provided by the district attorney's office and the district; counsel said no additional investigative materials were available to the board beyond the criminal court materials and the videos that had been filed with the court. Taylor Jenkins said teachers must complete annual code-of-ethics refresher training; the board discussed whether additional, targeted training should be required statewide for issues like restraint and boundary-setting.

What happened next: the three-year suspension is effective once the board's written order is issued. Dalton will have the opportunity to comply with or contest the board's conditions under the board's disciplinary rules. The board also asked staff to draft model language and options for specifying professional-development content and clinical assessment requirements for future cases.

Why it matters: the case highlights tensions the board faces between public-safety concerns, limited evidentiary records supplied by criminal prosecutions, precedent on license sanctions and the possibility of remediation for educators.

Sources: Board meeting presentation and roll-call votes, Aug. 7, 2025.","After hours of legal briefing and board debate, the Tennessee State Board of Education voted 7-2 to suspend the license of educator Joseph Dalton for three years with conditions, following a criminal plea to five misdemeanor counts of offensive touching.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

State Board approves rule and policy package including licensure, charter, PE and accountability hearing rules

State report: virtual public schools underperform in growth metrics, board seeks enrollment and intervention data

State Board suspends teacher license for three years in Joseph Dalton case after divided vote