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HB 678

Education, Dept. of - As introduced, specifies that the office of early learning is required, by February 1, to provide an annual report to the governor and the general assembly on the status of pre-kindergarten programs, which must include, at a minimum, the number, location, and types of providers of pre-kindergarten classrooms and the number of at-risk children served. - Amends TCA Title 49.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Tommy Stinnett

Mandates Tennessee's Office of Early Learning to provide annual pre-K program reports detailing provider counts, locations, types, and at-risk child enrollment by February 1st.

P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
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Bill Summary · HB 678

Legislative bill overview

HB 678 requires Tennessee's Office of Early Learning to submit an annual report to the governor and legislature by February 1st detailing pre-kindergarten program status. The report must include the number, location, and types of pre-K providers operating in the state, as well as data on how many at-risk children are being served by these programs.

Why is this important

Pre-K program data is critical for policymakers to assess whether at-risk children have adequate access to early education services, which research shows significantly impacts long-term educational and economic outcomes. Currently, there appears to be no systematic annual reporting requirement, making it difficult for state leadership to evaluate program effectiveness or identify geographic or demographic gaps in services.

Potential points of contention

  • Administrative burden: The Office of Early Learning may argue that compiling comprehensive data from multiple private and public providers by February 1st annually creates operational costs and compliance challenges
  • Definition ambiguity: The bill doesn't define "at-risk children," which could lead to inconsistent counting methods across providers and make year-to-year comparisons unreliable
  • Limited scope: The report focuses on counting providers and enrollment rather than program quality metrics, outcomes, or funding adequacy, which some stakeholders may view as insufficient for meaningful oversight

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

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