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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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
