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SB 2627

Education, Dept. of - As introduced, requires the department, by July 1 each year, to provide the chairs of the finance, ways, and means committees of the senate and house of representatives, the chairs of the education committees of the senate and house of representatives, and the directors of the office of legislative budget analysis a report to assist the general assembly in evaluating the availability of the individualized education account program. - Amends TCA Title 49.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Ken Yager

The bill requires the Department of Education to annually report the IEA program’s eligibility, participation, capacity, outreach, and spending, starting 2026.

Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee
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Bill Summary · SB 2627

Summary of Senate Bill 2627 (Session 114, Tennessee)

Purpose

SB 2627 amends the Tennessee Education Code to require the Department of Education to annually report on the availability and status of Tennessee’s Individualized Education Account (IEA) program. The goal is to provide the General Assembly with timely, specific information to evaluate how accessible and workable the IEA program is for eligible students and families.

Key Provisions

  • Reporting Requirement Timing

    • The Department of Education must produce the report by July 1 of each year, starting July 1, 2026, and every July 1 thereafter.

  • Recipients of the Report

    • Chairs of:
    • Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
    • House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
    • Senate Education Committee
    • House Education Committee
    • Directors of the Office of Legislative Budget Analysis

  • Content of the Report (for the immediately preceding fiscal year)

    • (1) Student metrics
    • (A) Number of eligible students statewide
    • (B) Number of participating students
    • (C) Number of students the program had the capacity to serve
    • (2) Outreach and notification process
    • Description of the process developed and implemented by the department to notify parents about their child’s potential eligibility to participate in the IEA program

  • Historical Reporting (First Report)

    • The first report must include, for each of the five preceding fiscal years:
    • The data identified above (eligible, participating, and capacity numbers)
    • The total annual amount expended by the department for the IEA program for each of those five years

  • Effective Date

    • The act takes effect upon becoming law (constitutional or public welfare exception anticipated).

Affected Parties

  • Primary State Agency

    • Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE): Responsible for compiling and delivering the annual IEA program report.

  • Legislative Stakeholders

    • Senate and House committees on Finance, Ways, and Means
    • Senate and House Education Committees
    • Office of Legislative Budget Analysis (OLBA)

Potential Impact

  • Transparency and Oversight

    • The bill creates a structured, annual accounting of IEA program eligibility, participation, capacity, and expenditures, improving legislative visibility into program access and utilization.

  • Policy Evaluation

    • By tracking capacity and notification outreach, legislators can assess whether the program is effectively reaching eligible students and identify potential barriers to participation or funding adequacy.

  • Budgetary Insight

    • The inclusion of the total annual expenditure in the first five years provides a baseline for evaluating financial trends and informing future budgeting decisions related to the IEA program.

Notes

  • The bill does not modify eligibility criteria or funding formulas for the IEA program; it focuses on reporting and transparency.
  • The first-year data will require compilation of five prior years of information, potentially requiring historical data gathering by the Department of Education.

If you’d like, I can provide a plain-language one-page summary or a side-by-side comparison with current reporting requirements (if any) and related program provisions.

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

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