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State Board approves rule and policy package including licensure, charter, PE and accountability hearing rules
Summary
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.
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''—, 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.
