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Committee recommends LEA paid‑parental‑leave policy to full commission
Summary
The Rules, Policy and Governance Committee voted 3-0 Oct. 8 to recommend that the full Tennessee Public Charter School Commission adopt an LEA policy requiring six work weeks of paid parental leave, aligning the commission policy with a change in state law (TCA 8-50-814).
The Rules, Policy and Governance Committee of the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission on Oct. 8 voted 3-0 to recommend that the full commission adopt an update to LEA policy 51 0 4 requiring six work weeks of paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child.
The change, presented by General Counsel Ashley Thomas, was described as an update to match a change in state law. "This is an update to TCA 8-50-814," Thomas said, adding that the policy "requires that each school adopt a policy, requiring 6 work weeks of leave for the birth or adoption of a child." The committee approved the recommendation on a roll-call vote: Commissioner LaVine, Commissioner Tom Marino and Chair Lauren Smith voted yes.
The committee record shows the change was presented as a compliance update rather than a policy expansion. Thomas said the language was intended to align the commission's LEA policy with state requirements and that the leave amount is comparable to what most districts provide. Chair Lauren Smith invited questions before the vote; none were raised that altered the proposal.
The committee moved the item to the full commission for consideration on first and final reading. The action was procedural: the committee recommended adoption to the full commission rather than adopting the policy itself.
The commission materials provided to members include the revised policy language and the statutory citation. The committee did not discuss funding sources or implementation specifics such as leave pay mechanics, collective‑bargaining interactions, or effective dates; those details were not specified during the meeting.
The Rules, Policy and Governance Committee is scheduled to next meet Jan. 22, 2026; the full commission will review the recommended policy at a future meeting.
