Running Head: Research Reviews of Tennessee State Laws

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 commissioners 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

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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.
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.

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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.
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 arent 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

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must also follow the states 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.
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

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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 students sex, race, or
religion.
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

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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.