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SB 2535

Education, Dept. of - As enacted, requires the department to collaborate with the department of safety to develop guidelines for LEAs and public charter schools providing a driver education and training course that include certain criteria. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 55.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Tom Hatcher

Tennessee requires state education and safety departments to establish standardized driver education guidelines for schools and charter schools to ensure consistent training quality.

Pub. Ch. 735
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Bill Summary · SB 2535

Legislative bill overview

SB 2535 requires Tennessee's Department of Education to work with the Department of Safety to create standardized guidelines for driver education courses offered by local education agencies and public charter schools. The bill amends state laws governing both education (Title 49) and traffic safety (Title 55) to establish criteria for these programs.

Why is this important

Driver education is a critical public safety and educational function that affects thousands of young Tennesseans annually. Standardized guidelines ensure consistency in training quality across districts and schools, potentially reducing teen driving accidents—a leading cause of injury and death among adolescents. This also clarifies regulatory oversight and may improve coordination between education and transportation safety agencies.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation costs: Schools and districts may face expenses developing or modifying existing programs to meet new state guidelines, raising questions about funding responsibility
  • Curriculum autonomy: Local districts may view state-mandated guidelines as reducing their flexibility in designing driver education tailored to community needs
  • Scope ambiguity: The bill references "certain criteria" without specifying details, leaving questions about what exact standards will be required and how rigorous they'll be

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

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