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HB 392

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 Ed Butler

Tennessee now requires all student subgroup test data collected by education officials to count toward school letter grades if the subgroup has 20+ valid scores, eliminating discretionary data exclusion.

Comp. became Pub. Ch. 219
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Bill Summary · HB 392

Legislative bill overview

HB 392 mandates that Tennessee's Department of Education must include all student subgroup data in school letter grade calculations if the department collects and reports that data, provided the subgroup has at least 20 valid test scores (or 20 students in a graduating cohort for college/career readiness). Previously, the department had discretion to exclude smaller or lower-performing subgroups from grade calculations.

Why is this important

School letter grades significantly affect school funding, teacher evaluations, parental choice decisions, and school reputation. This bill requires transparency by making all collected data count toward grades, preventing schools from appearing artificially successful by excluding struggling student populations. It directly impacts how school performance is publicly perceived and reported.

Potential points of contention

  • Aggregate vs. disaggregate reporting: The bill requires inclusion of subgroup data in overall grades, which may lower grades for schools with disparities between student populations, potentially penalizing schools serving disadvantaged communities
  • Data manipulation concerns: By setting a 20-student threshold, very small subgroups remain excludable, potentially allowing selective reporting of certain demographics while excluding others
  • Equity interpretation divide: Supporters view this as ensuring accountability for all students; opponents may argue it unfairly penalizes schools for systemic inequality they didn't create, or that it provides incomplete performance pictures for genuinely small populations

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

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