AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 9 and Title 49, relative to establishing a fund for career and technical education supports.
Summary
HB0138 establishes a new special fund in Tennessee law called the career and technical education curriculum fund. The fund is intended to receive an annual recurring appropriation of $5 million from the general fund, subject to later appropriation in the general appropriations act, and the money must be used only for grants to local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools. Those grants would support the acquisition, retention, or expansion of digital career and technical education curricula, including platforms with comprehensive courses, lesson plans, media-rich content, activities, and interactive assessments.
The bill directs the Department of Education to administer the fund and create procedures for grant applications, award criteria, and reporting requirements. The criteria may consider demonstrated need, student impact, and alignment with workforce development goals. Any unspent money would carry forward from year to year and could not revert to the general fund or be diverted elsewhere. The act would take effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
If enacted and funded through the appropriations process, the bill would add a new dedicated funding mechanism to Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49 for career and technical education curriculum support. It would not itself appropriate money, but it would authorize a framework for future appropriations and grant administration by the Department of Education. The measure would directly affect LEAs and public charter schools by making them eligible for grants to purchase or expand digital CTE curriculum resources, while also creating reporting and accountability obligations for recipients.
Sentiment
The available committee votes suggest generally favorable support for the bill. It advanced 4-1 in the House K-12 Subcommittee with a recommendation for passage if amended, and then passed the House Education Committee unanimously 19-0 with a similar recommendation for passage if amended and referral onward. No committee transcript was provided, so the record shows broad legislative interest in supporting career and technical education, with some indication that amendments or funding details may still have been under consideration.
Contention
The main point of potential contention appears to be fiscal and procedural rather than policy opposition. The bill contemplates a recurring $5 million fund, but it expressly states that it is not an appropriation and cannot be funded without inclusion in the general appropriations act, which may raise questions about budget priority and implementation. The committee actions also indicate the bill was viewed as needing amendment before final passage, suggesting lawmakers may have wanted to refine eligibility, administration, or funding mechanics. No explicit opposition from a particular stakeholder group is documented in the provided materials.
Crossfiled
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 9 and Title 49, relative to establishing a fund for career and technical education supports.