Local school boards prepare for new state education laws

As local schools prepare for the start of a new school year, several Tennessee education laws are set to take effect on July 1. Some laws include measures adding student trafficking awareness instruction, school board prayers and family life curriculum requirements among others. During the June Johnson City Board of Education meeting, Board Secretary Paula Treece outlined two legislative changes that could affect local school districts, including new reporting requirements related to Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship program and a law permitting school boards to open meetings with prayer. The discussion comes as both Johnson City Schools and Washington County Schools have previously expressed opposition to Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship expansion, commonly known as the state's school voucher program. The law requires the Tennessee Department of Education to provide temporary funding protections during the 2027-28 and 2028-29 school years if a district's Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement allocation decreases because students leave public schools to participate in the scholarship program. The legislation also requires the department to provide annual reports to legislative education committees detailing scholarship application data. Amid private school funding discussions, a new law, SB1822, requires local education agencies operating qualifying public high schools to allow certain private school students to participate in interscholastic athletics at those public schools. Supporters of the measure say it expands extracurricular opportunities for students who may not have access to athletic programs at their schools, while opponents argue it could create logistical and competitive concerns for public school athletic programs. Treece also discussed the Tennessee Religious Freedom Act, SB1957, which takes effect July 1 and authorizes local boards of education to begin meetings with a prayer led by a board member, provided participation is not required and attendees are not harassed or coerced. A separate law, HB0047, will also allow local boards of education and public charter school governing bodies to permit schools to display the Ten Commandments, the first sentence of the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence and the preamble to the U.S. Constitution in a prominent location within school buildings. While some supporters say the displays recognize documents and texts they view as important to American history and government, opponents contend the measure raises concerns about the separation of church and state in public schools. Treece noted the board will discuss the measures in it's upcoming August meeting. Lawmakers also approved changes to Tennessee's family life curriculum standards. Beginning July 1, instruction must include age-appropriate information on what the law, SB0471, describes as "the positive personal and societal outcomes associated with completing several milestones in sequence: obtaining a high school diploma or equivalent credential, entering the workforce or pursuing a postsecondary degree or credential, entering into marriage and then having children." The curriculum change is among several new classroom-related requirements. Another new law, HB1527, requires public schools and public charter schools to provide child trafficking awareness and prevention instruction to students in kindergarten through 12th grade through health education courses.