Tennessee HB 288: Education - As introduced, creates a pilot program to provide grants to elementary and middle schools to implement the Leader in Me® pilot program. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 1, Part 2.

Bill Text

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<BillNo> <Sponsor> 
 
HOUSE BILL 288  
By  Byrd 
 
 
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, 
Chapter 1, Part 2, relative to creating the Leader in 
Me® pilot program. 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: 
 SECTION 1.  Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 1, Part 2, is amended by 
adding the following as a new section: 
(a)  Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, there is established a three-year 
pilot program to be operated by the department of education.  The purpose of the pilot 
program shall be to provide grants to elementary and middle schools to implement the 
Leader in Me® program. 
(b)  Schools may apply to the department for a grant to implement the Leader in 
Me® program no later than January 1, 2018. 
(c)  The total amount of the grants provided by the department shall not exceed 
two million dollars ($2,000,000) in the 2018-2019 school year, two million dollars 
($2,000,000) in the 2019-2020 school year, and one million dollars ($1,000,000) in the 
2020-2021 school year. 
(d) 
(1)  In awarding grants, the department must: 
(A)  Award the grants to no more than fifty (50) schools; 
(B)  Give preference first to priority schools, then to schools in 
LEAs with a fiscal capacity in the lowest fifty percent (50%) of all LEAs, 
and finally to all other schools that apply to participate; and 

 
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(C)  Strive to award grants to schools in all three (3) grand 
divisions of the state equally. 
(2)  If fewer than fifty (50) schools request grants, the department shall 
award the grants to all schools that request grants. 
(e)  The amount of the grant given to each participating school must be 
calculated by the department and must be in an amount sufficient to pay for the full 
implementation of the Leader in Me® program. 
(f) 
(1)  The office of research and education accountability (OREA) in the 
office of the comptroller of the treasury, with the assistance of the department of 
education, shall study the pilot program and shall issue a report to the education 
committee of the senate and the education instruction and programs committee 
of the house of representatives on the effectiveness of the pilot program after the 
second year of the pilot program by no later than December 31, 2020. 
(2) 
(A)  In conducting the study, OREA must: 
(i)  Evaluate any improvement in the success of the 
students, in both academics and discipline; and 
(ii)  Survey teachers, administrators, and parents to 
determine their opinions as to the success or failure of the Leader 
in Me® program. 
(B)  OREA must include the results of its evaluation and survey in 
the report required by subdivision (f)(1). 
(3)  If OREA, in consultation with the department, finds that the results of 
the pilot program are promising, OREA may recommend in its report that the pilot 
program should be continued and expanded. 

 
 
 
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 SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring 
it.