Running Head: Research Reviews of Tennessee State Laws 1

Education 525: Legal and Ethical Issues

Research Reviews of Tennessee State Laws

Katrich C. Williams

Education 525

Fall 2014

Dr. Brenda Dean

Carson – Newman University

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Chapter 1 – State Administration

There is an established system for public education. In the state of Tennessee, public

education is run by laws, standards, and guidelines. These things are run by the state board of

education and the commissioner of education. It is the commissioner’s responsibility to make

sure administration, implementation, supervision, and enforcement of policies, standards, and

guidelines are all met. A local board of education and a director of schools manage the local

public schools.

The terms board, local board, or local board of education all are groups of people that

oversee and control the local public school system. The local education agency (LEA), school

system, public school system, school district, or local school district simply means that any

county school system, city school system, special school district, unified school system,

metropolitan school system, or any other local public school system, are all official members of

the general assembly.

Every public and local school system is required to have a policy that states the student

to teacher ratio. No school is allowed to have a ratio that is more than the amount assigned. No

school is allowed to have more than the assigned size of any grade level; however, individual

class sizes can be more than the average size assigned. It is the responsibility of the state board

of education and the state department of education to set the case for all teachers and teacher

assistants. The state board of education and the state department of education are responsible

for creating and updating students’ individualized education plan (IEP).

An LEA may allow a student to remain at their present school if their parent or guardian

has relocated because of active military duty or any other hardship.

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Chapter 3 – Finances

The state school fund is made up of all of the monies that are given out by the state

treasury for operating and maintaining public schools. The state board of education is chosen to

the administrator of funds and the commissioner of education is responsible for representing

the state in the administration of the federal legislation.

The Tennessee Education Finance Act of 1977 is a short title for the finance department

of Tennessee. There is a procedure for giving out money for education in public schools, grades

kindergarten through twelve. The LEA determines how much money is given to public schools.

The only way to give money to fund education for (K-12) students is through the LEA.

“The Volunteer Public Education Trust Fund Act of 1985 recognizes the value of

education and it encourages and supports it. There has been a special trust fund that was

established for education. It is the responsibility of the state treasurer to accept monies from

people, associations, or corporations that want to give to the trust fund for education. If any

money is given, it must be deposited into the assigned state depository.

It is the responsibility of the state board of education to set guidelines for the spending

of the money that is received from the trust fund for education. The state board of education

must develop and advertise campaigns for contributions to the trust fund and they must make

the public aware of the purpose of the trust fund. The state board of education often calls on

the help of the Tennessee Education Association to help with managing funds.

In order for funds to be spent from the special trust fund, the state board of education

must, in writing, approve it. It is a requirement that no money from the fund be used for

anything else except for public education.

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Chapter 5 – Personnel

If a person would like to be employed as a principal, teacher, or supervisor of any public

school and receive any pay for their services out of public school money of their local district,

they are required to show the director of schools an official license. No one under the age of

eighteen can receive a license to teach in a public school and no one with less than eight

months of experience as a teacher can receive pay as the principal of any school that has more

than one teacher. No one can receive a license to teach if they aren’t of good character and no

one can be issued a license if they use narcotics of any kind. No teacher that is blind can receive

a license.

It is a requirement of the teacher that he or she closes the school each and every day at

the appointed time given by the board of education. The teacher must teach only the subjects

that are on their license. A teacher must also follow the state’s course of study. The teacher

must keep a daily record of the students that are present and absent.

A new professional career ladder was established for full-time teachers, principals, and

supervisors. The new teacher program is required to have an beginner teacher, career level I

teacher, career level II, and career level III teacher. All supplements that are paid under the

career ladder program must have a supplement that is for by outstanding performance.

If a person wants to be a student teacher, they must spend three academic quarters in a

classroom. They must be involved in the teaching and observation while in the classroom. The

student teaching should start in the sophomore year of college unless the student transferred

from a two year school. Each student teacher is required to be assigned to a teacher that is in a

tenured position.
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Chapter 11 - Vocational and Technical Education

The state board of education is responsible for the state board for career and technical

education. It has been given the authority and the power to accept all acts of congress that

deals with career and technical education. The state board for career and technical education

has been required to administer the educational programs that come along with career and

technical education. It also has to cooperate with LEAs and the federal government and all of

the agencies that come along with it. It has been given the responsibility of making agreements

with the federal government and local government so that any government units are able to

participate in federal funding for career and technical educational programs.

The state treasurer is the person that has the responsibility to watch over the funds that

are given to vocational education. The state treasurer receives and provides any funds that are

given by the federal government to vocational education. The state board of education is

responsible for making plans that show the different kinds of vocational education programs

that are offered, what kind of equipment is needed for each program, the courses of study, and

the qualifications of teachers.

Once the approval is given, the state supervisor of vocational agriculture has the power

to use no more than $5,000 per year from the vocational education funds to try to promote the

vocational agriculture program to students across the state. It is a requirement that vocational

and technical education be offered to local high schools students, grades 9-12. Pre-vocational

classes may be offered to students in grades seven and eight.

It is a Class C misdemeanor to forbid students of vocational training, clinical, or any

combination of the two because of a student’s sex, race, or religion.

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Chapter 16 - Virtual Education Programs

Virtual Education Programs aim to give students in all grades a wide range of education

opportunities by effectively using technology. The state board of education is responsible for

making sure the rules and regulations of virtual education programs are understood. Rules for

virtual education programs fall under the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act.

LEAs are allowed to use basic education program funds (BEP) whenever they implement

and operate virtual education programs. The department of education and other local

educational agencies are allowed to apply for and receive grants. They are also allowed to

accept donations to help with the funding of virtual education programs, more so in the initial

phases of virtual education programs.

The department of education is responsible for submitting a detailed report of the

operation of virtual education programs to the governor, the general assembly, the state board

of education, and the basic education program (BEP). The department of education must also

provide a detailed report of the number of students that are enrolled into the virtual education

programs. Any efforts that are made to improve the programs and the way classes are taught,

including new technologies, funding received, and the operating of virtual education programs

must be reported.

Students are not required to participate in virtual education programs. However, if a

student does participate in a virtual education program, it should be by the judgment of the LEA

where the student is enrolled. Students in grades K-12 who were enrolled in and attended a

public school the previous year is eligible to be a part of a virtual education program. Students

who are disabled or homebound are also qualified to participate in virtual education programs.