HB 1886 (Senate SB 1912) – Tennessee 114th General Assembly
Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Public Charter Schools – Internet Acceptable Use Policies
Overview
HB 1886, as amended, revises and expands requirements for local education agencies and public charter schools regarding internet acceptable use policies (IAUPs). The bill applies to LEAs and to public charter schools, broadening current law to include pre-K–12 digital materials and mandatory annual audits. It also creates limited, controlled use of school-provided email addresses for younger students and requires transparency through annual audit publication and parent notification when policy violations occur.
Purpose and intent
- Strengthen oversight and consistency of IAUPs across LEAs and public charter schools.
- Expand the scope of materials and providers covered (pre-K–12) and require protections against inappropriate content.
- Improve accountability through mandatory reviews, complaint processes for third-party materials, and annual audits.
- Enhance parental notification and enforce employee conduct rules related to internet use.
Key provisions and changes
- Applicability:
- Requires LEAs and public charter schools to adopt and enforce IAUPs, with expanded scope to pre-K–12 digital/online instructional materials and third-party contractors.
- Policy review and updates:
- Each LEA and public charter school must review its IAUP at least twice per year and update as needed.
- Entities may collaborate with other LEAs/charter schools in policy development.
- Digital materials and complaint process:
- Providers of digital/online instructional materials (pre-K–12) must block access to content deemed inappropriate.
- Public charter schools contracting for such materials must establish a process for filing complaints about prohibited material.
- Email addresses for young students:
- LEAs/public charter schools may create school-provided email addresses for students in pre-K–5 for identification purposes, but these addresses cannot be used to send or receive emails.
- Notifications and protections:
- Requires parent/guardian notification when a student under 18 accesses a website in violation of the IAUP.
- Employee rules:
- Requires establishment of rules to prohibit inappropriate use by employees and to outline disciplinary or corrective measures for policy violations.
- Audits:
- Mandates an annual third-party audit of compliance with IAUPs. A qualifying USAC e-rate audit may satisfy this requirement.
- Audit results must be published on the LEA/public charter school website.
- Effective dates:
- For purposes of adopting required policies, the act is effective upon becoming law.
- For all other purposes, it becomes effective July 1, 2027, applying to the 2027–2028 school year and onward.
- Non-impairment of existing contracts:
- Provisions do not impair contracts entered into before July 1, 2027.
Fiscal impact
- The fiscal note indicates potential implementation costs tied to vendor contracts, audits, and possible system changes. The level of impact is not uniform; some districts may renegotiate terms or acquire additional licenses. Audits may require new third-party services; the exact cost is indeterminate and may vary by district.
Effective date and transition
- Immediate adoption provisions for policy development; full compliance and audit requirements phase in with a July 1, 2027 effective date for most provisions and policy changes, affecting the 2027–2028 school year onward.
Sponsors
- Co-sponsor: Scott Cepicky
In sum, HB 1886 enhances IAUP requirements for LEAs and public charter schools, expands material-provision oversight to pre-K–12, institutes double-year policy reviews and annual audits, and introduces protections and notification obligations related to student internet use and employee conduct.
