Image Credit: Speaker Cameron Sexton / X & @GovBillLee / X
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Governor Lee signed a new law on Tuesday that would authorize the creation of year-round boarding schools for “at-risk” students in Tennessee.
House Bill 2922 (HB2922) / Senate Bill 2820 (SB2820) began as a caption bill that addressed reporting of student allergies. However, an amendment changed the legislation entirely and will now allow for the creation of year-round “opportunity public charter schools” for “at-risk” youth across the state.
Adopted amendments to this caption bill:
• HA0862
• HA1069
• SA0768
• SA0975
The bill was sponsored by Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville-District 25) in the House and carried by Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin-District 18) in the Senate.
Of note, Sexton’s House bill had one Republican, William Slater (R-Gallatin-District 35) , that signed on as a co-sponsor.
In addition 4 Democrats joined with Sexton in supporting the bill as co-sponsors.
• Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville-District 15)
• Jesse Chism (D-Memphis-District 85)
• G.A. Hardaway (D-Memphis-District 93)
• Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis-District 98)
The bill was originally placed behind the budget due to its hefty fiscal note, but it was brought back to the table near the end of the General Session after funding was determined to be available.
The amendments would allow the bill to “serve eligible students who have been historically underserved”, according to sponsors.
Opportunity schools would serve students who come from a household whose income is below 200% of the federal poverty level and meet at least one of the following criteria:
• Students who have dropped out of school.
• Juvenile delinquents or students who are “awaiting disposition of charges that may result in adjudication as a juvenile delinquent”
• Students previously detailed or incarcerated in a juvenile detention center
• Students who have been retained at least twice in Kindergarten through 8th grade or students who are a year or more behind in obtaining credits required for graduation or promotion to the next grade level
• Chronically absent students as defined in Tennessee’s ESSA plan
• Pregnant or “mothering” students
• Students with substance abuse issues
• Students experiencing abuse or neglect
Opponents of the legislation have voiced concern over the possibility of courts being allowed to require some students to attend an opportunity school even if parents do not choose this. Others fear that students with disabilities will be funneled to these schools which may not provide the appropriate supports for these students, effectively institutionalizing them in an environment that does not meet their needs.
Language was added to the bill to prevent children who are in the custody of the Department of Children’s Services from being placed in these facilities, unless they were already enrolled in an “opportunity school” prior to being placed in the state’s custody.
Republican Senators Janice Bowling, Richard Briggs, Mark Pody, and Joey Hensley voted against the legislation, as did State Representatives Bryan Richey, Scott Cepicky, and Todd Warner.
The law goes into effect on July 1, 2024 with applications being taken for opportunity public charter schools looking to open for the 2026-2027 school year or later.
4 Responses
How about a return to REFORM SCHOOLS?
Troublemakers belong in a Reform school, not with regular students.
Glad none of you ever attended a “Reform School” In this state as in others, if such a law were to be passed, the state would immediately arrange third part entities to oversee the places. Then like our prisons, the youths will simply be housed, fed and locked up to the end of their term. I’m not so sure these schools are the answer but I’m willing to give it a chance.
Who will run these boarding schools: Lee’s political hacks; convicted child molesters that Lee doesn’t care about since the children that he wants to send to these schools will be society’s throw-away’s?