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 37 - TEACHER'S DISCIPLINE ACT (§§ 49-6-3701 — 49-6-3708) › Section 49-6-3706 - School turnaround committee - School turnaround plan

(a)
By September 30, 2021, the local board of education for a priority school that the department has designated as a school in need of intervention shall establish a school turnaround committee for each school in the LEA that is participating in the school turnaround pilot program. The school turnaround committee shall make recommendations concerning the school turnaround plan to the local board of education. The school turnaround committee must be composed of the following members:
(1)
The local school board member who represents the voting district in which the school is located;
(2)
The principal of the school;
(3)
Three (3) parents of students enrolled in the school, to be appointed by the director of schools;
(4)
Two (2) teachers at the school, to be appointed by the local board of education; and
(5)
Two (2) teachers at the school, to be appointed by the director of schools.
(b)
(1)
The members of the school turnaround committee must serve until the end of the pilot program, unless a member ceases to qualify for the position. The school turnaround committee for a school that exits the pilot program pursuant to § 49-6-3705(b)(2) terminates on the date the local board of education notifies the commissioner of education and the independent school turnaround expert under contract with the board pursuant to § 49-6-3707(b), in writing, that the school is exiting the pilot program.
(2)
Before the end of the pilot program, if a person replaces the local board of education member serving on the school turnaround committee on the local board of education, or, if the local board of education appoints a new principal of the school, then the new local board of education member or the new principal fills the position on the school turnaround committee held by the new local board of education member's or the new school principal's predecessor.
(3)
If, before the end of the pilot program, a parent member ceases to have a student enrolled at the school in the pilot program, a teacher member ceases to teach at the school in the pilot program, or a parent or teacher member resigns or otherwise cannot fulfill the member's duties, then the member's position on the school turnaround committee is vacated and the respective appointing authority shall appoint a new member to serve the remainder of the pilot program on the school turnaround committee.
(c)
By November 30, 2021, the local board of education shall contract with an independent school turnaround expert from a list of qualified experts provided by the department pursuant to §
49-6-3707
, who shall develop a school turnaround plan in collaboration with the school turnaround committee that includes:
(1)
The findings of the analysis conducted by the independent school turnaround expert described in §
49-6-3707
;
(2)
Recommendations compliant with state and federal law regarding changes to the school's personnel, culture, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, governance, leadership, finances, policies, or other areas that may be necessary to implement the school turnaround plan;
(3)
Measurable student achievement goals and objectives;
(4)
A professional development plan that identifies strategies to address problems of instructional practice;
(5)
A leadership development plan focused on strategies to turn around the school;
(6)
How progress will be monitored and assessed;
(7)
How data on progress will be communicated and reported to stakeholders; and
(8)
A timeline for implementation that aligns with the timelines established for the pilot program in this part.
(d)
(1)
By March 1, 2022, the school turnaround committee shall submit the recommended school turnaround plan to the local board of education. The local board of education may recommend changes to the school turnaround committee for the school turnaround plan, but the school turnaround committee and the local board of education must agree on a final school turnaround plan. The local board of education shall submit the final school turnaround plan to the department for approval by April 1, 2022.
(2)
If the local board of education and the school turnaround committee do not agree on the final school turnaround plan before April 1, 2022, then the local board of education and the school turnaround committee may independently submit a proposed school turnaround plan to the department for approval. The department may make any necessary changes to a proposed school turnaround plan submitted to the department, but shall approve one (1) of the proposed school turnaround plans for the school in need of intervention.
(3)
Upon the department's receipt of a school turnaround plan submitted for approval pursuant to subdivision (d)(1), the department shall:
(A)
Review a school turnaround plan submitted for approval under subdivision (d)(1) within thirty (30) days of submission; and
(B)
Approve a school turnaround plan submitted in accordance with subdivision (d)(1) that is timely, well-developed, and aligned with the rubric developed by the department. The department may recommend additional changes to the school turnaround plan submitted to the department before the department approves the school turnaround plan.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 863,s 3, eff. 5/1/2024.
Acts 2021 , ch. 578, § 1.