TennesseeTennessee limits some school tests in a district pilot
The education department selects up to 10 qualifying districts for a pilot limiting some tests, and a qualifying third grader may use a reading screener score toward promotion eligibility.
What it does
The education department selects up to 10 school districts for a pilot that tests whether fewer required assessments are linked to greater academic success.
In participating districts, eligible K–8 students have limits on state tests in English and math. Districts must give two benchmark tests in each subject, or the specified additional screeners instead.
Participating districts report a K–3 student’s progress to the family after a qualifying reading screener, and send the department results from pilot assessments.
For a third grader tested under the pilot, a score at the 50th percentile on the latest qualifying reading screener counts as a listed way to show English proficiency for promotion.
Argument forEligible students could spend less time taking state tests, while still taking the screeners and state tests listed for the pilot.
Argument againstFewer state tests could give families and schools less information about eligible students’ progress in English and math.
More detail
The education department selects districts for a testing pilot. The pilot evaluates whether giving fewer district and state assessments leads to greater academic success. The department may select up to 10 districts. To qualify, a district must meet the stated 2024–25 designation, proficiency, and attendance measures and meet the continuing measures for at least two consecutive years beginning in 2025–26. The department must select districts by July 1, 2026. The required continuing eligibility period begins in the 2025–26 school year.
Participating districts limit some state and district tests for eligible students. The limits apply to eligible students in kindergarten through grade 8 in participating districts. Students must score above the 40th percentile on both beginning-of-year screeners to qualify. The state test limits allow up to one reading screener, one math screener, and one state English and math test, as applicable. Districts must give two English and two math benchmark tests, or the specified additional screeners instead. The limits apply in the 2027–28 and 2028–29 school years, based on screeners given at the start of each school year.
Participating districts report students’ reading progress to families and send pilot test results to the department. The family reports cover K–3 students receiving a limited number of state and district assessments through the pilot. The family report follows a qualifying reading screener. The results sent to the department are from assessments given under the pilot. Districts must send the assessment results to the department by June 15, 2029.
A qualifying reading screener score counts toward a third grader’s promotion eligibility. This provision applies to a third grader whose state assessments were limited under the pilot. The student must have taken a limited number of state assessments under the pilot as a third grader. The student must score at the 50th percentile on the most recently administered qualifying reading screener. The score must be from the most recently administered approved state or Tennessee reading screener.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 27Pub. Ch. 1030Latest
- May 27Effective date(s) 05/21/2026
- May 21Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- May 11Transmitted to Governor for his action.To Governor
- May 5Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 30Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.Minor
- Apr 30Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 23Placed on Senate Message Calendar 2 for 4/23/2026
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 4/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: MOTION TO ADOPT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT 4/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 23Senate refused to recede from amendment
- Apr 23H. Placed on Message Calendar 2 for 4/23/2026
- Apr 23H. refused to recede from its non-concurrence in SA 2
- Apr 23Conf. comm. appointed. (Reps. G. Martin, Cepicky, Cochran, Glynn)
- Apr 23Conference Committee appointed (Watson, White, Yarbro)
- Apr 23Conf. comm. report adopted, Ayes 80, Nays 0 PNV 6
- Apr 23Conference Committee report adopted, Ayes 31, Nays 0, PNV 1
- Apr 22Received from House, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/22/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 22Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.Major
- Apr 22Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0789)
- Apr 22Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA1107)
- Apr 22Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 0Passed Senate
- Apr 22H. Placed on Message Calendar #2 for 4/22/26
- Apr 22H. nonconcurred in S. am. no. 2
- Apr 21Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0877)Minor
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 21H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0878)Major
- Apr 21Passed H., as am., Ayes 87, Nays 1, PNV 1Passed House
- Apr 21Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.Minor
- Apr 20
- Vote recorded HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026 4/16/2026. Result: fail.Lower
- Apr 17
- Vote recorded HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/17/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 4/17/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 16H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026
- Apr 15Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/15/2026
- Apr 15Rec for adopt by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means CommitteeMinor
- Apr 15Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2026
- Apr 15Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules CommitteeMinor
- Apr 15Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/16/2026
- Apr 8Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
- Apr 2Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 1Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 1Placed behind the budget
- Mar 30Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Mar 26Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Mar 25Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Vote recorded HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 3/25/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 25Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means CommitteeMinor
- Mar 25Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means SubcommitteeMinor
- Mar 25Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/1/2026
- Mar 18Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/24/2026
- Mar 17Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Education CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE K-12 SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Education Committee 3/17/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/17/2026
- Mar 10Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/17/2026
- Mar 4Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/10/2026
- Feb 24Ref. to Education CommitteeMinor
- Feb 24Assigned to s/c K-12 SubcommitteeMinor
- Feb 5P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
- Feb 4Intro., P1C.Minor
- Feb 3Filed for introductionIntroduced
Education