A RESOLUTION to commemorate Arts in Education Week in Tennessee.
Summary
SJR0660 is a ceremonial joint resolution that commemorates March 1-7, 2026, as Arts in Education Week in Tennessee. The resolution recognizes arts education as an essential part of a complete education and highlights disciplines such as dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. It states that arts instruction helps students build critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, discipline, and cross-cultural understanding, while also supporting academic success and social-emotional development.
The resolution also cites broader benefits of arts education, including improved attendance and graduation rates, stronger college, career, and citizenship readiness, and greater civic engagement. It references existing Tennessee law and regulations that require arts education in elementary, middle, and high school and notes the State Board of Education’s adoption of new fine arts standards in 2016. The resolution further points to data showing that most students have access to some arts instruction, but fewer have access to both music and visual arts, and some students are not enrolled in any arts course.
Impact
This resolution does not change Tennessee statutes, regulations, or funding; it is a nonbinding commemorative measure. Its practical effect is to formally recognize Arts in Education Week and to reaffirm the state’s support for arts education, including the existing graduation requirement and fine arts standards already reflected in Tennessee Code Annotated section 49-6-1025 and related rules. It may be used to promote awareness among schools, arts organizations, and policymakers about access gaps in arts instruction.
Sentiment
The sentiment around the bill is strongly positive and unanimous. The Senate Education Committee recommended adoption without opposition, and both floor actions passed overwhelmingly, including a 32-0 vote and later consent calendar passage by a 93-0 vote. The bill reflects broad bipartisan agreement that arts education is valuable and worthy of public recognition.
Contention
There is little to no recorded contention because the measure is ceremonial rather than regulatory. The only substantive issue implied by the text is access: the resolution notes that while most students have some arts instruction, not all students have access to both music and visual arts, and a significant share are not enrolled in any arts course. That concern appears to be a motivation for the resolution rather than a point of disagreement among legislators.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 9; Title 13; Title 16; Title 39; Title 55; Title 58; Title 62; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to emergency management.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 9; Title 13; Title 16; Title 39; Title 55; Title 58; Title 62; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to emergency management.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1; Title 2; Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 11; Title 12; Title 13; Title 16; Title 20; Title 22; Title 24; Title 31; Title 33; Title 36; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 43; Title 44; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 49; Title 50; Title 53; Title 54; Title 55; Title 56; Title 61; Title 62; Title 63; Title 64; Title 65; Title 66; Title 67; Title 68; Title 69 and Title 71, relative to electronic transmissions.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1; Title 2; Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 11; Title 12; Title 13; Title 16; Title 20; Title 22; Title 24; Title 31; Title 33; Title 36; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 43; Title 44; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 49; Title 50; Title 53; Title 54; Title 55; Title 56; Title 61; Title 62; Title 63; Title 64; Title 65; Title 66; Title 67; Title 68; Title 69 and Title 71, relative to electronic transmissions.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 50; Title 57; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 70, relative to firearms.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 50; Title 57; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 70, relative to firearms.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 50; Title 57; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 70, relative to firearms.