On April 23, the 114th Tennessee General Assembly adjourned sine die, concluding a legislative session that advanced several important education priorities for Tennessee students and families.
This year, lawmakers took notable action on high-quality public school options, funding, transparency, and accountability — building on recent progress while reinforcing a commitment to foundational policies and high expectations for all students.
Here are five key achievements from the 2026 legislative session:
1. Accountability for Virtual Schools
As educational options continue to expand for students and families, the General Assembly took steps to ensure quality keeps pace with access.
SB2441/HB2420 strengthens oversight of the growing virtual school sector by requiring the enforcement of existing closure criteria for persistently low-performing programs and ensuring that families are notified about school performance.
These changes codify the expectation that students enrolled in virtual settings receive a high-quality education.
2. Support for Charter Schools
Lawmakers updated Tennessee’s charter school policy to expand access to schools that are delivering strong results for students. Through SB2351/HB2177, the General Assembly established an automatic renewal pathway for high-performing charter schools and provided local flexibility for lottery enrollment policies.
In addition to policy changes, the General Assembly made a significant financial investment to support the expansion of high-quality charter schools. A historic $40 million nonrecurring allocation for charter school facilities, distributed on a per-pupil basis, marks the largest single-year investment in charter schools in Tennessee. This investment is in addition to the $22 million already included through the TISA direct allocation for charter school students.
These policy updates, coupled with increased facilities funding, help to bolster the state’s charter sector. Facilities funding has long been a barrier for charter growth, and this investment supports the expansion of quality options for families across the state.
3. On-Time Postsecondary Completion
The General Assembly made a revision to Tennessee’s outcomes-based funding (OBF) formula to incentivize on-time completion of postsecondary programs.
SB2079/HB1833 shifts the OBF degree completion metrics from six years to four years for universities and establishes a new two-year metric for community colleges, sending a strong signal to postsecondary institutions to better support students to complete their degrees on time.
This policy comes as Tennessee’s OBF Review Committee undertakes its five-year review process, offering a comprehensive opportunity to evaluate how OBF can drive progress on state goals for postsecondary attainment and workforce readiness. Incentivizing on-time completion aligns with SCORE’s recommendations for OBF reform and sets the stage for further progress on tying OBF incentives to outcomes that matter most for students.
4. Transparency at the Local Level
This session delivered two important steps toward greater transparency at the local level.
First, SB2403/HB2277 requires the Tennessee Department of Education to collect and publicly report information on locally administered assessments. This will provide a clearer view of the full testing landscape, support efforts to reduce unnecessary testing, and help maintain a rigorous statewide assessment program.
Second, the “Better Spending, Better Schools Act” (SB2072/HB2121) strengthens financial transparency by requiring more detailed reporting on district-level expenditures. This will improve visibility into the use and impact of education investments.
Together, these policies equip families, educators, and policymakers with better information to drive decision-making and improve outcomes.
5. Access to Advanced Math for Middle School Students
To better prepare students for postsecondary success and high-demand careers, lawmakers took action to expand access to advanced coursework in math.
SB2375/HB2276 requires automatic enrollment in the next most rigorous math course for eighth-grade students who have demonstrated mastery on their seventh-grade math TCAP assessment. This required acceleration ensures more students will have access to advanced coursework when they’re ready. The policy also includes licensure pathways to help districts meet demand and deliver high-quality instruction.
The conclusion of the 2026 legislative session marks a successful year for improving education for students and families. Looking ahead to the 115th General Assembly and the upcoming gubernatorial transition, we see a critical opportunity to build on this progress and shape the next chapter of education policy in Tennessee.