AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to language assistance for students.
Summary
HB0030 amends Tennessee’s education code to require that English language learner (ELL) students who receive language assistance services during the school year be allowed to receive the same services while taking state assessments, including TCAP tests and end-of-course exams, so long as those services do not invalidate the assessment. The bill defines “language assistance services” to include supports provided under an individual learning plan (ILP) by an ESL-endorsed teacher, as well as linguistically and academically appropriate accommodations and scaffolding provided by a general education teacher when a parent or guardian has waived the first type of service.
The bill applies beginning with the 2026-2027 school year and would affect the administration of statewide testing for ELL students across Tennessee. It does not create a new program so much as it standardizes testing accommodations for students already receiving classroom language supports, tying assessment-day assistance to the services a student receives during instruction. In practical terms, it would require schools and districts to ensure that eligible ELL students can access comparable language supports during state exams, within the limits of assessment validity rules.
Impact
This bill would amend Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49, Section 49-6-6001, by adding a specific testing accommodation requirement for ELL students. It would affect school districts, teachers, ESL-endorsed staff, general education teachers providing accommodations, and students with ILPs, while also implicating state assessment administration rules for TCAP and end-of-course exams. The change would take effect immediately upon becoming law but would apply to TCAP administration starting in the 2026-2027 school year and thereafter.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill, with unanimous committee votes in both the House K-12 Subcommittee and the House Education Committee. The bill appears to have been viewed as a straightforward student-support measure rather than a controversial policy change. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so the record shows support through votes but no detailed debate.
Contention
The main policy issue embedded in the bill is the balance between providing language assistance to ELL students and preserving the validity of standardized assessments. The bill explicitly limits services to those that do not invalidate the test, which may be the primary point of implementation concern for educators and testing administrators. Another possible area of concern is how districts will operationalize the distinction between ESL-endorsed services and accommodations provided by general education teachers under waived services, but no direct opposition is reflected in the available vote record.