2025 Ten for Tennessee Awards
Ten for Tennessee recognizes and celebrates the top ten policy and budget proposals in 2025 that best advance educational opportunity in the state.
Every legislative session, Tennessee lawmakers offer new ideas or proposed changes to programs and policies that touch the lives of thousands of students across the state, from preschool through higher education. EdTrust–Tennessee is proud to recognize the ideas that have the greatest potential to improve opportunity and access for students of color, students from lower-income communities, students with disabilities, and English Learners. We will continue to monitor and support these bills as they move through the legislature this term.
Resources
2025 Ten for Tennessee Awards
Ensuring Access to School Libraries and Preventing Book Bans
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HB1234/SB313 did not see any movement in 2025. In the House, HB1234 was assigned to the K-12 Subcommittee of the House Education Committee but was never placed on calendar. In the Senate, SB313 was assigned to the Senate Education Committee but was never placed on the calendar.
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In the House, HB1051 failed in a 4-2 vote in the K-12 Subcommittee of the House Education Committee. In the Senate, SB1130 was assigned to the Senate Education Committee but was never placed on the calendar.
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HB715/SB701 did not see any movement in 2025. In the House, HB715 was assigned to the Departments & Agencies Subcommittee of the State & Local Government Committee and was calendared, but ultimately was taken off notice. In the Senate, SB701 was assigned to the Senate Education Committee and placed on calendar but has since been reassigned to the General Subcommittee of the Senate Education Committee.
Awarded for | Priority 1: Promoting Accessible, Rigorous, and Affirming Learning Experiences
What does this bill do?
HB1234/SB313 removes classroom libraries from provisions of the Age Appropriate Materials Act.
HB1051/SB1130 removes classroom libraries from provisions of the Age Appropriate Materials Act.
HB715/SB701 prohibits libraries from restricting access to books based on content.
Providing Supports for English Learner (EL) Students
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HB30/SB1213 did not see any movement in 2025. In the House, HB30 was assigned to the K-12 Subcommittee of the House Education Committee and was calendared, but ultimately was taken off notice. In the Senate, SB1213 was assigned to the Senate Education Committee but never placed on the calendar.
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HB410 passed the House Floor with a vote of 86 Ayes, 0 Nos, and 1 Present Not Voting. SB246 passed the Senate Floor with a vote of 31 Ayes, 0 Nos, and 0 Present Not Voting. This bill was signed by the Governor, and became law as Public Chapter 419 on 05/09/2025.
Awarded for | Priority 1: Promoting Accessible, Rigorous, and Affirming Learning Experiences
What does this bill do?
HB30/SB1213 empowers EL students with language assistance in the classroom to receive language assistance when taking the TCAP.
HB410/SB246 requires the Department of Education to convene a working group to study best practices on supporting EL students.
Expanding Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Formula for Pre-K
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In the House, HB401 was placed behind the budget. The bill wasn’t included in the appropriations bill passed, HB1409/SB1421, and was stalled in the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. This bill will be picked up in this committee in 2026 if the sponsor re-calendars it. In the Senate, SB696 was placed on the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar, which means this bill will be picked up in this committee in 2026 if the sponsor re-calendars it.
Awarded for | Priority 2: Addressing Funding and Resource Equity
What does this bill do?
HB401/SB679 adds Pre-K students with special needs and peer model students to the students who generate funding under TISA.
Investing in Tennessee’s Future Teachers
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HB504 passed the House Floor with a vote of 94 Ayes, 0 Nos, and 0 Present Not Voting. SB682 passed the Senate Floor with a vote of 33 Ayes, 0 Nos, and 0 Present Not Voting. This bill was signed by the Governor, and became law as Public Chapter 488 on 07/01/2025.
Awarded for | Priority 3: Increasing Educator Diversity and Quality
What does this bill do?
HB504/SB682 enables the Future Teacher Scholarship to support more future Tennessee teachers by expanding eligibility, simplifying the award, and extending the pilot.
Fulfilling Basic Needs in K-12
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In the House, HB1153 was placed behind the budget. The bill wasn’t included in the appropriations bill passed, HB1409/SB1421, and was stalled in the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. This bill will be picked up in this committee in 2026 if the sponsor re-calendars it. In the Senate, SB740 was placed on the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar, which means this bill will be picked up in this committee in 2026 if the sponsor re-calendars it.
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In the House, HB39 was placed behind the budget. The bill wasn’t included in the appropriations bill passed, HB1409/SB1421, and was stalled in the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. This bill will be picked up in this committee in 2026 if the sponsor re-calendars it. In the Senate, SB155 was placed on the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar, which means this bill will be picked up in this committee in 2026 if the sponsor re-calendars it.
Awarded for | Priority 4: Supporting Students’ Social, Emotional, and Academic Development
What does this bill do?
HB1153/SB740 requires local boards of education to establish a program to provide free school breakfast and lunch to all students. Depending on funding, this bill would also require the state to reimburse LEAs for providing free breakfast and lunch to students after all federal funds have been applied.
HB39/SB155 enacts the “Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Act,” requiring all LEAs and public charter schools provide free feminine hygiene products in all women’s and girls’ bathrooms, in all locker rooms, and with school nurses dedicated solely for student use.
Fulfilling Basic Needs in Higher Education
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In the House, HB1103 failed in the Higher Education Subcommittee of the House Education Committee for a lack of a second. In the Senate, SB588 was assigned to the Senate
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In the House, HB7 was placed behind the budget. The bill wasn’t included in the appropriations bill passed, HB1409/SB1421, and was stalled in the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. This bill will be picked up in this committee in 2026 if the sponsor re-calendars it. In the Senate, SB172 was placed on the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar, which means this bill will be picked up in this committee in 2026 if the sponsor re-calendars it.
Awarded for | Priority 4: Supporting Students’ Social, Emotional, and Academic Development
What does this bill do?
HB1103/SB588 enacts the “Tennessee for Tampons Act,” which requires public institutions of higher education to provide feminine hygiene products in all women’s and girl’s bathrooms and locker rooms.
HB7/SB172 establishes the hunger-free campus grant program, providing grants to higher education institutions to address student hunger on that institution’s campus.
Increasing Access to Tennessee’s Community Schools
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In the House, HB225 successfully passed the K-12 Subcommittee of the House Education Committee in a 6-2 vote, but has since been taken off notice in the House Education Committee. In the Senate, SB364 was assigned to the Senate Education Committee but was never placed on the calendar.
Awarded for | Priority 4: Supporting Students’ Social, Emotional, and Academic Development
What does this bill do?
HB225/SB364 enacts the “Tennessee Full Service Community Schools Act,” which authorizes each local board of education to form a full service community school that offers coordinated academic, health, and support services to students and families both during and outside of regular school hours. Studies have shown that community schools with these comprehensive services improve test scores, reduce school discipline issues, and decrease absenteeism.
Strengthening Early Behavioral Supports
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HB448/SB1163 did not see any movement in 2025. In the House, HB448 was assigned to the Education Administration Subcommittee of the House Education Committee and was calendared, but ultimately was taken off notice. In the Senate, SB1163 was assigned to the General Subcommittee of the Senate Education Committee but was never placed on the calendar.
Awarded for | Priority 4: Supporting Students’ Social, Emotional, and Academic Development
What does this bill do?
HB448/SB1163 requires, instead of encourages, LEAs and public charter schools to incorporate training in evidence-based skills training on positive behavioral interventions and supports, conflict prevention, functional behavior assessments, de-escalation, and conflict management into its behavior intervention training program.
Protecting Undocumented Students
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In the House, HB1202 was taken off notice in the Departments & Agencies Subcommittee of the State & Local Government Committee. In the Senate, SB17 failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee by one vote with 4 Ayes, 5 Nos, and 0 Present Not Voting.
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HB1032/SB1219 did not see any movement in 2025. In the House, HB1032 was assigned to the Education Administration Subcommittee of the House Education Committee but was never placed on calendar. In the Senate, SB1219 was assigned to the Senate Education Committee but was never placed on the calendar.
Awarded for | Priority 4: Supporting Students’ Social, Emotional, and Academic Development
What does this bill do?
HB1202/SB17 exempts school resource officers from requirements to report documentation status to law enforcement, among other immigration enforcement provisions.
HB1032/SB1219 requires schools to immediately notify all students, parents, educators, employees, and contractors of the local education agency or public charter school of the presence of an immigration officer on school grounds.
Streamlining the Tennessee Student Assistance Award
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This year Governor Bill Lee included an increase of $12 million in recurring funds for the Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA) as part of his proposed budget for Fiscal year 2025-2026. The increase in funds was not attached to a physical bill but was passed through the general assembly as part of HB1409/SB1421, formally known as the appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025-2026.
Awarded for | Priority 5: Expanding Access and Success in Higher Education
The Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA) is Tennessee’s only scholarship that offers non-repayable financial aid to undergraduate students in financial need who reside in Tennessee. This investment would provide $12 million to expand eligibility for the award.
2025 Awards Reception
Photo credit: Joana Elena Zuniga – Manifold Studios
