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SB 196

Education - As enacted, prohibits the department of education from excluding from the calculation of a school letter grade the data of any group of students within a school if the department collects, aggregates, and reports the data, and if the group of students has at least 20 valid test scores in math or English language arts for at least one grade band; and data for the college and career readiness indicator if the school has at least 20 students in a graduating cohort. - Amends TCA Title 49.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Page Walley

Tennessee schools must now include all student subgroup test data (minimum 20 scores) in letter grade calculations, preventing exclusion of lower-performing groups.

Pub. Ch. 219
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Bill Summary · SB 196

Legislative bill overview

SB 196 requires Tennessee's Department of Education to include all student subgroups in school letter grade calculations if the department collects and reports that data, provided the group has at least 20 valid test scores (or 20 students for college/career readiness metrics). Previously, the department could exclude smaller or lower-performing student groups from these calculations.

Why is this important

School letter grades significantly influence public perception, funding decisions, and school accountability. This bill changes which student performance data must be counted, potentially lowering letter grades for schools where certain demographic or achievement groups underperform. It affects how schools, parents, and policymakers evaluate educational quality and resource allocation.

Potential points of contention

  • Grade inflation concerns: Schools may receive lower letter grades under mandatory inclusion rules, which could be seen as unfairly penalizing schools serving diverse or struggling student populations
  • Statistical reliability: Including groups with only 20 test scores may produce volatile, year-to-year grade swings that don't reflect meaningful educational changes
  • Accountability versus equity: Proponents argue transparency benefits all students; critics worry mandatory inclusion could discourage schools from serving high-need populations if it harms their ratings

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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