Germantown board member summarizes new state advisory committee on K–12 innovation

Board member Curry gave the board a Tennessee legislative update, reporting that House Bill 675 and Senate Bill 415 passed during the regular session and became Public Chapter 426. The act, he said, established an advisory committee on innovations in kindergarten through grade 12 education that includes members of the Tennessee General Assembly, the State Board of Education and the Tennessee Department of Education.

Curry told the board the committee held hearings over the summer and covered topics including teacher and principal evaluation processes; state and locally mandated student assessments; the statutory 180 days of classroom instruction; possible substitution of certain career and technical education (CTE) courses for state-required high school courses; and educator licensure, training and compensation structures. He said hearings are archived on the General Assembly website and that one additional meeting to consider recommendations is anticipated in October.

Curry relayed testimony from educators in a rural district who described students enrolling in TCAT programs as juniors and taking assessments that may not align with their post–high school plans; he said that when students "mail in" tests because they do not intend to go to college, the results can negatively affect school grades. He encouraged local educators to engage with their state representatives as the committee moves toward recommendations, and specifically mentioned Chairman Mark White as the House education committee contact for many Germantown residents.

Curry cautioned that the advisory committee's final recommendations — and any resulting statutory changes — remain to be seen and urged educators and community members to make their views known to state lawmakers.