Subcommittee advances bill to expand charter application options, shorten renewal windows and centralize oversight

Chairman White presented House Bill 13‑22 and the K‑12 Subcommittee voted to send the measure to the full Education Committee.

The bill would give charter applicants additional pathways to authorization, let public colleges and universities apply to sponsor charter schools and prioritize enrollment for the institutions’ students and employees up to 25%, allow authorizers to renew charters for shorter terms (five to ten years), streamline replication approvals for schools that have operated for at least one year and move more reporting and monitoring duties from the Tennessee Department of Education to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.

Chairman White framed the bill as a response to growing demand for charter seats and described existing arrangements: charters generally receive 10‑year authorizations, the state created a nine‑member charter commission in 2021 to assume authorization responsibilities, and, he said, charter enrollment includes a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students and students of color. He told the committee that, during the 2022–23 school year, charter schools served more than 44,000 students, roughly 5% of the statewide student population and about 9% of the state’s Black, Hispanic and Native American student population; he said roughly 52% of charter students are economically disadvantaged.

Members asked procedural questions. Representative Akeem sought clarity about whether applicants must start with the local education agency; Chairman White and later questions clarified that the initial application route remains to the LEA unless an LEA has denied a charter applicant three times within three years and the Charter Commission has overturned those denials — in that scenario applicants may file directly with the commission. Representative Hakim followed up to confirm that the three‑denial threshold would create the direct access described by the sponsor. Chairman White said the department staff were available to answer technical questions if needed.

The committee voted; the clerk reported a tally of 5 ayes and 0 nos. The bill was reported out to full Education.