2023 Tennessee Code › Title 49 - EDUCATION (§§ 49-1-NEW — 49-50-1703) › Chapter 6 - ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (§§ 49-6-101 — 49-6-8106) › Part 60 - PROFICIENCY TESTING (§§ 49-6-6001 — 49-6-6017) › Section 49-6-6017 - Section definitions - LEA or public charter school credit exams - Credit requirements - Credit exams - Reporting requirements

(a)
As used in this section:
(1)
"Credit exam" means a comprehensive assessment designed by an LEA or public charter school that is aligned to the Tennessee academic standards for an eligible course;
(2)
"Eligible course" means a course identified by the department of education, and approved by the state board of education, for which there is no end-of-course assessment; and
(3)
"Qualifying score" means the score set by an LEA or public charter school that a student must achieve on a credit exam to demonstrate proficiency and earn credit for the eligible course for which the credit exam is administered.
(b)
An LEA or public charter school that serves students in any of the grades nine through twelve (9-12) may grant a high school student credit for an eligible course offered by the student's high school in which the student is not enrolled, but for which the student attains a qualifying score on the eligible course's credit exam. An LEA or public charter school that serves students in any of the grades nine through twelve (9-12) shall provide each high school student the opportunity to take a credit exam for an eligible course each semester in which the LEA or public charter school offers an eligible course for which the LEA has developed a credit exam. A student may only take a credit exam once per eligible course for purposes of this section.
(c)
The department of education shall recommend to the state board of education for approval a list of eligible courses for which an LEA or public charter school may develop a credit exam for purposes of this section. The list of eligible courses must include courses in math, English language arts, science, and social studies. The department may recommend eligible courses in additional subject areas.
(d)
High school credit earned pursuant to this section must count toward the high school graduation requirements established pursuant to §
49-6-6001(a)
. A student may earn a maximum of four (4) graduation credits pursuant to this section. If a student receives a qualifying score on a credit exam, then the student's score must be included in the student's overall grade point average pursuant to local board policy.
(e)
A credit exam developed by an LEA or public charter school pursuant to this section must cover the entirety of the Tennessee course standards for the course for which the student may receive credit.
(f)
A credit exam administered for purposes of this section shall not affect the evaluation of a teacher, principal, school, or LEA.
(g)
Each local board of education and charter school governing body that serves students in any of the grades nine through twelve (9-12) shall adopt a policy on the implementation of this section. The policy must include, at a minimum:
(1)
When and how credit exams are to be administered to students seeking course credit pursuant to this section;
(2)
The qualifying score for each credit exam administered to students pursuant to this section; and
(3)
The grade that will be included in a student's overall grade point average for the student's achieving the qualifying score on each credit exam administered to the student pursuant to this section.
(h)
An LEA or public charter school that serves students in any of the grades nine through twelve (9-12) shall provide the following information to the department of education at the end of each school year:
(1)
A copy of each credit exam developed by the LEA or public charter school pursuant to this section;
(2)
The number of credit exams administered during the school year;
(3)
The eligible courses for which credit exams were administered; and
(4)
The number of students that did and did not receive a qualifying score on each credit exam administered for purposes of this section.
(i)
(1)
Upon the request of the education committee of the senate, the education administration committee of the house of representatives, or the education instruction committee of the house of representatives, the department of education shall submit a report regarding the implementation of this section.
(2)
The information reported pursuant to this subsection (i) must comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (
20 U.S.C. § 1232g
); §
10-7-504
; the Data Accessibility, Transparency, and Accountability Act, compiled in chapter 1, part 7 of this title; and all other relevant privacy laws.
Added by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 269, s 1, eff. 4/28/2023.