Joint committee advances State Board of Education rules on opportunity charters, funding and licensure

The Joint Government Operations Committee advanced several rules proposed by the Tennessee State Board of Education on March 31, 2024, voting to give positive recommendations to an emergency charter-schools rule implementing new “opportunity” charter provisions, changes to funding allocation language (moving references from BEP to TISA), updates to admissions for out-of-state residential mental health facilities, and revisions to educator licensure eligibility.

The most contested item was an emergency rule to implement provisions of “public chapter 10 66,” which created an opportunity charter school category serving grades 6–12 and requiring that at least 75% of enrolled students meet the statute’s definition of “at-risk.” Nathan James of the State Board of Education told the committee the emergency rule was necessary so applicants…