HB 1759

ON APRIL 22, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1762, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites this bill to authorize the establishment of adult public charter schools, which this bill defines as public charter schools that exclusively serve students who are 18 years of age or older by providing instruction to such students in accordance with the rules for adult high schools promulgated by the state board of education to assist such students in ob taining course credit leading to the attainment of a high school diploma. The following will apply to an adult public charter school: (1) An adult public charter school shall not charge its students registration fees, enrollment fees, or tuition; (2) An adult public charter school may be formed to provide high-quality educational options for students residing within Tennessee; (3) If a sponsor seeks to establish a new adult public charter school, then the sponsor must apply to the local board of education or to the commission, if direct application to the commission is authorized by law; (4) An existing public school cannot be converted to an adult public charter school; (5) The membership of a governing body for an adult public charter school may, but is not required to, include a parent representative; (6) An advisory school council established by a charter management organization for an adult public charter school may, but is not required to, include a parent member; (7) Funding for an adult public charter school will be based on the full-time enrollment average daily membership (FTEADM). The FTEADM must be calculated based on a four-hour day and a 20-day school month. The FTEADM for a school month must be determi ned by dividing the total hours for which students were enrolled in the adult public charter school during the school month by 80; (8) An adult public charter school is required to enroll a student who is 18 years of age or older, who does not possess a high school diploma, and who submits a timely application. If the number of applications exceeds the capacity of a program, class , or building, then the adult public charter school is required to select students through an enrollment lottery. The full text of this amendment specifies mandatory enrollment preferences for any such enrollment lottery; (9) Adult public charter schools will be exempt from present law concerning charter revocation based on identification as a priority school; (10) A sponsor may apply to open an adult public charter school to the local board of education or directly to the commission; (11) An adult public charter school shall not open before the 2029-2030 school year; (12) The department of education, in consultation with the commission, may develop a specific adult public charter school application; (13) Adult public charter schools may be formed to provide instruction to students in accordance with rules promulgated by the state board of education; (14) An adult public charter school must satisfy the instructional time requirements established for adult high schools by the state board of education; and (15) The department of education, in consultation with the state board of education and the commission, is required to develop an adult public charter school performance framework that includes an assessment aligned with the state board's policies for a lternative measures of student achievement and student growth. The department is also required to develop methods and procedures for collecting the data necessary to apply the adult public charter school performance framework. This amendment authorizes the state board of education to promulgate rules to effectuate this bill. ON APRIL 22, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 1762 FOR HOUSE BILL 1759, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1762, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites this bill to authorize the establishment of adult public charter schools, which this bill defines as public charter schools that exclusively serve students who are 18 years of age or older by providing instruction to such students i n accordance with the rules for adult high schools promulgated by the state board of education to assist such students in obtaining course credit leading to the attainment of a high school diploma. The following will apply to an adult public charter school: (1) The direct allocation for a student attending a public charter school under TISA will not apply to adult public charter schools; (2) An adult public charter school shall not charge its students registration fees, enrollment fees, or tuition; (3) An adult public charter school may be formed to provide high-quality educational options for students residing within Tennessee; (4) If a sponsor seeks to establish a new adult public charter school, then the sponsor must apply to the local board of education or to the commission, if direct application to the commission is authorized by law; (5) An existing public school cannot be converted to an adult public charter school; (6) The membership of a governing body for an adult public charter school may, but is not required to, include a parent representative; (7) An advisory school council established by a charter management organization for an adult public charter school may, but is not required to, include a parent member; (8) Funding for an adult public charter school will be based on the full-time enrollment average daily membership (FTEADM). The FTEADM must be calculated based on a four-hour day and a 20-day school month. The FTEADM for a school month must be determi ned by dividing the total hours for which students were enrolled in the adult public charter school during the school month by 80; (9) An adult public charter school is required to enroll a student who is 18 years of age or older, who does not possess a high school diploma, and who submits a timely application. If the number of applications exceeds the capacity of a program, class , or building, then the adult public charter school is required to select students through an enrollment lottery. The full text of this amendment specifies mandatory enrollment preferences for any such enrollment lottery; (10) Adult public charter schools will be exempt from present law concerning charter revocation based on identification as a priority school; (11) The provisions of present law that authorize a public charter school to utilize vacant public school property will not apply to adult public charter schools; (12) Adult public charter schools are not eligible for participation in the public charter schools facilities grant and loan program administered by the commissioner of education; (13) A sponsor may apply to open an adult public charter school to the local board of education or directly to the commission; (14) An adult public charter school shall not open before the 2029-2030 school year; (15) The department of education, in consultation with the commission, may develop a specific adult public charter school application; (16) Adult public charter schools may be formed to provide instruction to students in accordance with rules promulgated by the state board of education; (17) An adult public charter school must satisfy the instructional time requirements established for adult high schools by the state board of education; and (18) The department of education, in consultation with the state board of education and the commission, is required to develop an adult public charter school performance framework that includes an assessment aligned with the state board's policies for alternat ive measures of student achievement and student growth. The department is also required to develop methods and procedures for collecting the data necessary to apply the adult public charter school performance framework. This amendment authorizes the state board of education to promulgate rules to effectuate this bill. ON APRIL 23, 2026, THE SENATE CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENT #1.