Education, Dept. of - As enacted, prohibits an individual from serving as a teacher or assistant teacher in a child care program for children who are four or younger unless the individual is at least 18. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 71, Chapter 3, Part 5.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Doc Kumar

Raises the minimum staff age to 18 for teachers and assistants in child care programs serving four-year-olds and younger, effective July 1, 2026.

Comp. became Pub. Ch. 679

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Summary — Tennessee HB 2573 (Session 114)

Title: Education, Dept. of - As enacted, prohibits an individual from serving as a teacher or assistant teacher in a child care program for children who are four or younger unless the individual is at least 18.

Jurisdiction: Tennessee

Bill Number: HB 2573 (Co-sponsored by Doc Kumar)

Enacted as: Part of Senate Bill 2637; companion to SB 2637

Effective Date: July 1, 2026

Parent Statutes Amended: Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49 and Title 71, Chapter 3, Part 5

1) Purpose and Intent

The bill adds a new eligibility requirement for individuals serving as teachers or assistant teachers in child care programs for children aged four years or younger.

Specifically, it prohibits any person from serving in such roles unless they are at least 18 years old.

Aimed at establishing minimum age standards for staff in early childhood care settings.

2) Key Provisions

New provision added to § 49-1-1103(a):

Subdivision (4): An individual shall not serve as a teacher or assistant teacher in a child care program for children who are four (4) years of age or younger unless the teacher or assistant teacher is at least eighteen (18) years of age.

Effective date: The act takes effect July 1, 2026 (public welfare requiring it).

3) What Is Affected

Affected Entities:

Child care programs serving children aged four and younger in Tennessee.
Operators of programs operated by local boards of education, public schools with early childhood offerings, church-affiliated programs, and federally funded early childhood programs (as defined in the fiscal note).

Affected Roles:

Teachers and assistant teachers in these child care programs.

Oversight and Compliance:

Regulation and certification of child care programs are administered by the Tennessee Department of Education (DOE) with standards set by the State Board of Education (SBE). The bill is designed to align staffing qualifications with the updated standards.

4) Procedural and Timeline Details

Legislative History Highlights:

The bill progressed through standard committee steps in the 2026 session, with actions recorded from introduction in February 2026 through committee hearings in March and eventual passage.
Compiled into Pub. Ch. 679 on April 13, 2026 (as indicated in action history).

Fiscal Impact:

Described as not significant.
Assumptions indicate that existing resources and regulatory frameworks at the DOE and SBE can implement the new age requirement without substantial increases in state expenditures.
Local education agencies and child care program operators are expected to comply within current resources.

5) Summary of Impact

Purpose: To raise the minimum age for individuals serving as teachers or assistant teachers in early childhood care programs for four-year-olds and younger.

Practical Effect: Child care programs must staff with personnel who are at least 18 years old for roles involving care and instruction of four-year-olds and younger.

Compliance Window: New staffing rule becomes effective July 1, 2026, allowing programs time to adjust staffing to meet the age requirement.

If you’d like, I can compare HB 2573 with the companion SB 2637 text or provide a plain-language rationale evaluating potential challenges for staffing and implementation.