§ 49-8-105 — Training schools for practice teachers

(a) Any state college or university under the direction of the board of regents or a state university board is authorized to maintain a training school for grades pre-kindergarten through twelve (pre-K-12), or any combination of grades pre-kindergarten through twelve (pre-K-12), for the purpose of providing practice teaching experience for teachers in training, and the students enrolled in the school shall be taught the same course of study as prescribed by the state board of education for the public school system in grades pre-kindergarten through twelve (pre-K-12), or the grades appropriate for the particular school. (b) Each institution, acting through its governing board, may contract with a local board of education to provide the teaching of the children of public school age in the training school, whereby the training school shall receive all state and federal funds received by the local board of education as a result of this contract for the operation of the training school, including TISA allocations and any other funds that may be allocated for the operation of public schools of this state. The governing body for a public university that is approved by the department of education to operate an innovative school district pursuant to part 15 of this chapter is not required to have a contract with a local school board in order to operate a training school that is part of the innovative school district. Training schools are eligible to receive grants and other funds in the same manner as the public schools in this state. The control of the school is wholly under the direction of the respective institution. (c) It shall not be mandatory for a state college or university subject to this chapter to maintain a training school; provided, that arrangements can be established and approved by the board of regents or state university board by which practice teaching experience can be provided in the county and city school systems of the state. (d) In the event the training school does not maintain a school for grades pre-kindergarten through twelve (pre-K-12), the contract between the board of regents or state university board and the county or city board of education shall direct the allocation of funds between the local boards of education and the training school, as the parties determine will best achieve the objective of providing practice teaching for teachers in training. (e) Notwithstanding chapter 2, part 5 of this title, § 49-2-140 , or another law to the contrary, an institution that maintains a training school authorized by this part, and that is approved by the department of education to operate an innovative school district under § 49-8-1503 , may receive public funds for the operation of the training school. The commissioner of education shall ensure that a training school that is operated by an innovative school district receives all state, local, and federal funds that would otherwise be received by the local board of education for the operation of the training school, including TISA allocations and any other funds that may be allocated for the operation of public schools of this state. School funds collected by the county for current operation and maintenance purposes must be apportioned by the county trustee to the innovative school district in the same manner as school funds are apportioned to other LEAs in the county. Training schools that are operated by innovative school districts are eligible to receive grants and other funds in the same manner as the public schools in this state. If a training school transitions from being operated pursuant to a contract between an LEA and a state college or university to being operated as part of an innovative school district pursuant to part 15 of this chapter, then the LEA shall, for the first school year that the training school is operated as part of the innovative school district, provide the governing body for a public university that operates the innovative school district with the same level of support for the operation of the training school as the LEA provided to the state college or university under the contract.

Legislative History

Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1053,s 3, eff. 5/28/2024, app. to the 2024-2025 school year and each school year thereafter. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1053,s 2, eff. 5/28/2024, app. to the 2024-2025 school year and each school year thereafter. Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 435, s 2, eff. 5/11/2023. Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 760, s 1, eff. 3/31/2022. Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 869, s 7, eff. 7/1/2016. Acts 1925, ch. 115, § 16; Shan. Supp. § 1487a109; Code 1932, § 2401; Acts 1961, ch. 58, § 1; Acts 1973, ch. 144, § 2; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 49-3204.