Rules of Tennessee Department of Education

RULES
OF
THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
CHAPTER 0520-01-02
DISTRICT AND SCHOOL OPERATIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0520-01-02-.01 Approval of Local Education Agencies 0520-01-02-.12 Waivers

(LEAs) 0520-01-02-.13 Fiscal Accountability Standards
0520-01-02-.02 Salary Schedules 0520-01-02-.14 Repealed
0520-01-02-.03 Repealed 0520-01-02-.15 Repealed
0520-01-02-.04 Leave for Teachers 0520-01-02-.16 School Fees and Debts
0520-01-02-.05 Adult High Schools 0520-01-02-.17 State Enrollment and Attendance Guidelines
0520-01-02-.06 Adult Education Programs 0520-01-02-.18
0520-01-02-.07 Library Information Centers through
0520-01-02-.08 Interscholastic Athletics 0520-01-02-.29 Repealed
0520-01-02-.09 Alternative Education 0520-01-02-.30 School Safety
0520-01-02-.10 Homebound Instruction 0520-01-02-.31 Organization and Administration of
0520-01-02-.11 School Board Training Schools
0520-01-02-.01 APPROVAL OF LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES (LEAS).
(1) A public school is the basic administrative unit of a state, county, city, or special district
school system, consisting of one (1) or more grade groups, one (1) or more teachers to give
instruction, and one (1) principal, which school shall be subject to the statutes of the State of
Tennessee, and to the rules, regulations, and minimum standards of the State Board of
Education (State Board).
(2) The Department of Education (Department) shall make periodic inspections of the Local
Education Agencies (LEAs) under its control. These inspections shall be made to determine
the extent to which LEAs operate in compliance with State Board rules and regulations and to
verify the information received on reports from local school officials. The Department shall
develop and annually notify LEAs of the inspection criteria.
(a) Each LEA shall be classified as approved, conditionally approved, or non-approved

based on the inspection of the Department. LEAs classified as conditionally approved
by the Commissioner of Education shall receive a written explanation of the reasons for
such classification and shall be afforded the opportunity to respond. The
Commissioner’s notification shall include a time by which corrective action shall be
completed by the LEA. If such corrective action is not taken within the time specified,
the LEA shall be classified as non-approved and the Commissioner shall impose
sanctions on the LEA which may include withholding part or all of Basic Education
Program (BEP) funding to the non-approved LEA.
(b) The Department shall make an annual report to the State Board regarding each LEA’s
compliance with State Board rules and regulations. The report shall include the
approval status of each LEA, deficiencies identified by the Department in the approval
process, an assessment of action needed to attain approval, LEA response, and
sanctions imposed upon LEAs which do not comply.
(3) The Department shall maintain an internal audit function which shall assist the Department in
the inspection of schools. Internal audit reports shall be presented to the Commissioner of
Education and the State Board.
March, 2022 (Revised) 1

DISTRICT AND SCHOOL OPERATIONS CHAPTER 0520-01-02
(Rule 0520-01-02-.01, continued)

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-3-306, and 49-3-353. Administrative History: Original rule certified
June 10, 1974. Amendment filed August 20, 1984; effective November 13, 1984. Amendment filed
September 26, 1985; effective December 14, 1985. Amendment filed September 20, 1987; effective
December 22, 1987. Amendment filed October 18, 1988; effective January 29, 1989. New rule filed
February 16, 1989; effective April 2, 1989. Amendment filed July 11, 1990; effective October 29, 1990.
Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Repeal and new rule filed December
5, 2011; effective May 30, 2012. Amendments filed August 20, 2020; effective November 18, 2020.
0520-01-02-.02 SALARY SCHEDULES.
(1) The State Board shall adopt an annual minimum salary schedule for all licensed personnel,
which shall apply to every LEA. The state minimum salary schedule shall be based on a
combination of experience and academic training. Local boards of education shall adopt a
salary schedule that meets the requirements of the minimum salary schedule adopted by the
State Board.
(2) Local boards of education shall adopt a salary schedule based on a combination of
experience and academic training or may propose an alternative salary schedule for approval
by the State Board and the Commissioner of Education. Alternative salary schedules
proposed for approval must meet the criteria outlined in the State Board’s Strategic
Compensation Policy 5.600.
(3) The state minimum salary schedule and local salary schedules shall not be applicable to
substitute personnel. In the case where a licensed teacher is serving as a substitute for a
regular teacher on leave whose accumulated leave has not been exhausted, the school
system may compensate the licensed educator as a substitute.
(4) If a local school board adopts a salary schedule based in part on experience, the types of
verified experiences that may be recognized may include, but not be limited to:
(a) Local school boards, at their discretion, may recognize the following types of work-
related experience including, but not limited to:
1. Verified administrative, supervisory, and/or teaching experience in a public

school or an approved non-public school, schools approved by recognized
accrediting agencies, or approved by the Tennessee Department of Education,
or any Pre-K program funded by the Tennessee Department of Education;
(b) Verified teaching experience in a pre-K-12 school operated by the United States
government either within or outside the United States;
(c) Verified teaching experience in a regionally accredited institution of higher education;
(d) Verified teaching experience as a part of a visiting teacher program authorized by the
United States government or a foreign ministry of education;
(e) Verified experience as a professional employee of the State Board of Education, the
State Department of Education, and/or the Comptroller’s Office of Educational
Accountability (OREA);
(f) Verified active military service in the armed forces of the United States; or
(g) Verified professional work experience in the fields typically held by school service
personnel (audiology, speech-language pathologist, psychology, social worker,
counselor) in a setting other than a public or non-public school.


(5) If a local school board adopts a salary schedule based in part on training, the following shall
apply:
(a) For college or university course work completed after the start of the current school
year but before September 1, the salary rating shall be adjusted as of September 1 of
the current school year. The employee must notify the LEA of the employee’s intent to
complete course work prior to Aug. 31, and the LEA must file documentation of
changes to the employee’s salary rating with the Department on or before October 15
of the current school year.
(b) For college or university course work completed after August 31, but before January 1
of the current school year, the salary rating shall be adjusted as of January 1 of the
current school year. The employee must notify the LEA of the employee’s intent to
complete course work prior to Jan. 1. The LEA must file documentation of changes to
the employee’s salary rating with the Department on, or before, February 15 of the
current school year.
(6) The individual educator shall provide evidence of experience and training to the LEA for
verification and approval.
(7) Pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-3-306, each LEA shall develop, adopt, and implement a
differentiated pay plan in compliance with the State Board’s Strategic Compensation Policy
5.600. Each differentiated pay plan shall be designed to aid in staffing hard-to-staff subject
areas and schools and in hiring and retaining highly qualified teachers.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-1-302(a)(5), 49-3-306, 49-5-402, and 49-6-101. Administrative

History: Original rule certified June 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 10, 1974; effective July 10, 1974.
Amendment filed June 30, 1975; effective July 30, 1975. Amendment filed July 15, 1976; effective August
15, 1976. Amendment filed February 28, 1978; effective March 30, 1978. Amendment filed January 9,
1979; effective February 23, 1979. Amendment filed and new rule filed October 15, 1979; effective
January 8, 1980. Amendment filed April 14, 1980; effective May 28, 1980. Amendment filed November
13, 1981; effective March 16, 1982. Amendment filed June 4, 1982; effective September 30, 1982.
Amendment filed August 17, 1983; effective November 14, 1983. Amendment filed August 20, 1984;
effective November 13, 1984. Amendment filed September 26, 1985; effective December 14, 1985.
Repeal and new rule filed May 8, 1986; effective June 27, 1986. Amendment filed September 20, 1987;
effective December 22, 1987. Amendment filed October 18, 1988; effective January 1989. Amendment
filed November 9, 1989; effective February 28, 1990. Amendment filed July 11, 1990; effective October
29, 1990. Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Amendment filed January
21, 1994; effective May 31, 1994. Amendment filed August 7, 1995; effective December 29, 1995.
Amendment filed October 11, 1995; effective February 28, 1996. Amendment filed May 19, 2005;
effective September 28, 2005. Amendment filed December 28, 2005; effective April 28, 2006.
Amendment filed January 5, 2006; effective May 31, 2006. Amendment filed February 24, 2010; effective
July 29, 2010. Amendments filed October 7, 2016; effective January 5, 2017. Amendments filed
December 23, 2016; effective March 23, 2017. Amendments filed August 20, 2020; effective November
18, 2020.
0520-01-02-.03 REPEALED.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-2-301, 49-5-108, 49-6-6006, and Section 86 of Chapter 535 of the
Public Acts of 1992. Administrative History: Original rule certified June 10, 1974. Amendment filed June
10, 1974; effective July 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 30, 1975; effective July 30, 1975. Amendment
filed July 15, 1976; effective August 15, 1976. Amendment filed February 28, 1978; effective March 30,
1978. Amendment filed January 9, 1979; effective February 23, 1979. Amendment and new rule filed
October 15, 1979; effective January 8, 1980. Amendment filed November 13, 1981; effective March 16,
1982. Amendment filed June 4, 1982; effective September 30, 1982. Amendment filed August 17, 1983;
effective November 14, 1983. Amendment filed August 20, 1984; effective November 13, 1984.


Amendment filed September 26, 1985; effective December 14, 1985. Amendment filed May 8, 1986;
effective June 27, 1986. Amendment filed September 20, 1987; effective December 22, 1987.
Amendment filed October 18, 1988; effective January 29, 1989. Amendment filed November 9, 1989;
effective February 28, 1990. Amendment filed July 11, 1990; effective October 29, 1990. Repeal and new
rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Amendment filed May 12, 1992; effective August 29,
1992. Amendment filed September 1, 1992; effective December 29, 1992. Amendment filed August 10,
1993; effective December 29, 1993. Amendment filed November 22, 1993; effective March 30, 1994.
Amendment filed January 21, 1994; effective May 31, 1994. Amendment filed March 31, 1994; effective
June 14, 1994. Amended by Public Chapter No. 957, Acts of 1994; effective May 10, 1994. (See Attorney
General opinion No. 094-080). Amendment filed January 31, 1995; effective May 31, 1995. Amendment
filed May 31, 1996; effective September 27, 1996. Amendment filed October 17, 1997; effective February
27, 1998. Amendment filed May 28, 1999; effective September 28, 1999. Amendment filed July 31, 2000;
effective November 28, 2000. Amendment filed March 1, 2005; effective July 29, 2005. Amendments filed
May 19, 2005; effective September 28, 2005. Amendment filed June 15, 2005; effective October 28,
2005. Amendment filed March 23, 2007; effective July 27, 2007. Amendments filed September 6, 2007;
effective January 28, 2008. Amendment filed May 30, 2008; effective September 26, 2008. Amendment
filed July 17, 2009; effective December 29, 2009. Amendments filed February 6, 2013; effective July 29,
2013. Amendments filed September 6, 2013; effective February 28, 2014. Amendment filed May 8, 2014;
effective October 29, 2014. Amendment filed May 26, 2015; effective August 24, 2015. Amendment filed
September 22, 2015; effective December 21, 2015. Amendments filed December 23, 2016; effective
March 23, 2017. Amendments filed October 16, 2017; effective January 14, 2018. Amendments filed
November 29, 2018; effective February 27, 2019. Repeal filed August 20, 2020; effective November 18,
2020.
0520-01-02-.04 LEAVE FOR TEACHERS.
(1) The term “teacher” shall mean any person employed by a local board of education in a
position which requires a license issued by the State Department of Education. The term
“teacher” shall not apply to a substitute teacher.
(2) Sick Leave. “Sick leave” shall mean leave of absence because of illness of a teacher from
natural causes or accident, quarantine, or illness or death of a member of the immediate
family of a teacher, including the teacher's wife or husband, parents, grandparents, children,
grandchildren, brothers, sisters, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law,
brother-in-law, and sister-in-law. Upon written request of the teacher accompanied by a
statement from her physician verifying pregnancy, any teacher who goes on maternity leave
shall be allowed to use all or a portion of her accumulated sick leave for maternity leave
purposes during the period of her physical disability only, as determined by a physician.
(3) Personal and Professional Leave. A teacher may take two (2) days of personal and
professional leave per school year in accordance with policies of the local board of education.
(4) Personal Injury Leave.
(a) When a school system determines that a teacher’s absence from assigned duties was
required as a result of personal physical injuries caused by a physical assault or other
violent criminal act committed against the teacher while on duty, the school system
shall grant personal injury leave for those days of absence.
(b) Each local school system shall develop policies and procedures for determining
eligibility for and implementing personal injury leave consistent with these rules. The
policies and procedures may include provisions such as timely notification of the
incident and injuries sustained, a requirement that medical attention be sought
immediately, submission of a doctor’s statement verifying the nature, extent and
duration of the disability, option by the school system of a third party opinion, and


guidelines for a process to make periodic redeterminations of eligibility if the absence
exceeds a given time frame.
(c) Nothing in Rule 0520-01-02-.04(4) shall preclude a teacher at his or her option from
directing that an absence which would otherwise qualify for personal injury leave under
paragraph four (4) be charged to accumulated sick leave or personal leave instead of
personal injury leave.
(5) Substitute teachers are those persons employed to replace teachers on sick, professional, or
personal leave or to fill temporary vacancies (this exists until a licensed teacher is available
and employed). Substitutes are employed and paid in the following manner:
(a) A person without a teacher’s license or permit may serve as a substitute for the first 20
consecutive days of absence of a regular teacher on approved leave.
(b) After 20 consecutive days of approved leave, a person serving as the substitute must
be licensed and hold the appropriate endorsement for the assignment or must be a
retired teacher and have held the appropriate endorsement.
(c) After the regular teacher’s accumulated leave is exhausted, the replacement teacher
must be licensed and hold the appropriate endorsement for the assignment or be a
retired teacher and have held the appropriate endorsement and must be paid based on
the replacement teacher’s training and experience record in accordance with the state
and local salary schedules.
(6) The total accumulated sick leave shall mean the total number of sick leave days which have
been earned but not yet used. A teacher in need of sick leave shall be allowed to use
unearned sick leave up to the amount of days which such teacher may accumulate during the
remainder of the current school year.
(7) Each local board of education shall participate in the state leave program. Local boards of
education shall provide the required local contribution from public school funds for payment
of substitute teachers. Teachers shall not pay any part of the state required local contribution.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-3-312, and 49-5-701, et seq.; Section 27 of Chapter 535 of the Public
Acts of 1992. Administrative History: Original rule certified June 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 10,
1974; effective July 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 30, 1975; effective July 30, 1975. Amendment filed
July 15, 1976; effective August 16, 1976. Amendment filed February 28, 1978; effective March 30, 1978.
Amendment filed January 9, 1979; effective February 23, 1979. Amendment and new rule filed October
15, 1979; effective January 8, 1980. Amendment filed November 13, 1981; effective March 16, 1982.
Amendment filed June 4, 1982; effective September 30, 1982. Amendment filed August 17, 1983;
effective November 14, 1983. Amendment filed August 20, 1984; effective November 13, 1984.
Amendment filed September 26, 1985; effective December 14, 1985. Amendment filed May 8, 1986;
effective June 27, 1986. Amendment filed September 20, 1987; effective December 22, 1987.
Amendment filed October 18, 1988; effective January 29, 1989. Amendment filed November 9, 1989;
effective February 28, 1990. Amendment filed July 11, 1990; effective October 29, 1990. Repeal and new
rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Amendment filed September 1, 1992; effective
December 29, 1992. Amendment filed October 17, 1997; effective February 27, 1998. Amendment filed
October 13, 2014; effective January 11, 2015. Amendments filed August 11, 2017; effective November 9,
2017.
0520-01-02-.05 ADULT HIGH SCHOOLS.
(1) Adult high schools may be established and maintained by local boards of education.


(2) Before the Full-Time Enrollment Average Daily Membership (FTEADM) of any adult high
school shall be counted in distribution of state funds, such schools shall meet the standards
of an approved school and shall provide without fee all services, such as free textbooks, to
which any student of grades nine through twelve (9-12) is entitled under rules and regulations
of the State Board of Education, state and federal statutes, and policies of local boards of
education, with the exceptions listed below:
(a) The computation of the FTEADM of adult high schools shall be on the basis of a four
(4) hour day and twenty (20) day school month. The FTEADM for any month shall be
determined by dividing the total hours for which persons were enrolled during the
month by eighty (80).
(b) While in attendance at an adult high school, students may earn all or a portion of the
required credits necessary for graduation. Physical education, however, shall not be a
requirement for graduation. Students are exempted from state-mandated tests.
(c) Adult high schools may operate twelve (12) months per year and provide flexible
scheduling necessary for both day and night programs. All terms in a year round
operation are considered regular terms.
(d) Adult high school students must be at least seventeen (17) years of age.
(e) Adult high school students may register for and earn as few as half (1/2) unit of credit
per term.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-1-302(a)(4)(A), 49-1-302(a)(11), 49-2-203(b)(3), 49-6-409, and 49-6-

501. Administrative History: Original rule certified June 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 10, 1974;
effective July 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 30, 1975; effective July 30, 1975. Amendment filed July
15, 1976; effective August 16, 1976. Amendment filed February 28, 1978; effective March 30, 1978.
15, 1979; effective January 8, 1980. Amendment filed June 4, 1982; effective September 30, 1982.
Amendment filed August 17, 1983; effective November 14, 1983. Amendment filed August 20, 1984;
effective November 13, 1984. Amendment filed September 26, 1985; effective December 14, 1985.
Amendment filed May 8, 1986; effective June 27, 1986. Amendment filed September 20, 1987; effective
December 22, 1987. Amendment filed October 18, 1988; effective January 29, 1989. Amendment filed
November 9, 1989; effective February 28, 1990. Amendment filed July 11, 1990; effective October 29,
1990. Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Repeal and new rule filed
December 19, 2011; effective May 30, 2012. Amendments filed October 16, 2017; effective January 14,
2018.
0520-01-02-.06 ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
(1) Adult education programs that lead to a regular high school diploma, offered, organized, and
operated as a part of the public school program shall be under the control and management
of the local board of education having jurisdiction.
(2) The calculation of Full-Time Enrollment Average Daily Membership Adult (FTEADM) for
education programs that lead to a regular high school diploma shall be on the basis of a four
(4) hour day.
(3) Before the Full-Time Enrollment Average Daily Membership (FTEADM) of any adult high
education program that leads to a regular high school diploma shall be counted in distribution
of state funds, such program shall comply with the rules and regulations prescribed by the
state and local boards of education and shall provide without fee all services, such as free
textbooks, to which any student of grades nine through twelve (9-12) is entitled under the


rules and regulations of the State Board of Education, state and federal statutes, and policies
of local boards of education.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-1-302(a)(4)(A), 49-1-302(a)(11), 49-2-203(b)(3), 49-6-409, and 49-6-

501. Administrative History: Original rule certified June 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 10, 1974;
15, 1979; effective January 8, 1980. Amendment filed November 13, 1981; effective March 16, 1982.
effective November 14, 1983. Amendment filed June 28, 1984; effective September 11, 1984.
Amendment filed August 20, 1984; effective November 13, 1984. Amendment filed September 26, 1986;
effective December 14, 1985. Amendment filed May 8, 1986; effective June 27, 1986. Amendment filed
September 20, 1987; effective December 22, 1987. Amendment filed October 18, 1988; effective January
29, 1989. Amendment filed November 9, 1989; effective February 28, 1990. Amendment filed July 11,
1990; effective October 29, 1990. Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992.
Amendments filed October 16, 2017; effective January 14, 2018.
0520-01-02-.07 LIBRARY INFORMATION CENTERS.
(1) School Library Information Center.
(a) All school libraries shall serve as resources for students, teachers, and community
members to strengthen student learning. School library information specialists shall
work collaboratively with classroom teachers and school administrators to integrate
both curricular concepts and information skills that assist research and other learning
activities. The collection and the services of the library shall adequately support the
curricular priorities within the school.
(b) School libraries shall provide an environment that allows efficient access to resources,
including both print and electronic. Schools must be organized to allow the library
program to operate a flexible schedule that allows students and teachers to access
resources at the point of need.
(c) School libraries should provide parents and community members access to resources,
however, schools shall weigh these considerations to ensure student safety and
access to school buildings.
(2) Library Information Specialists.
(a) Elementary/Middle Schools. Schools including grades kindergarten (K) through eight
(8) or any combination thereof shall provide library information specialists as follows:
1. A school having a current student enrollment of 550 or more students shall have
a full-time library information specialist with endorsement as a library information
specialist.
2. A school with a current student enrollment of 400 to 549 students shall have a
half-time library information specialist with endorsement as a library information
specialist. During the time that the library is open during regular school hours and
the library information specialist is not present, staff member(s) shall be
designated to provide supervision to students in the library.
3. In a school with fewer than 400 students, a faculty member shall serve as a
library information coordinator. If the library information coordinator is not present


during the time that the library is open during regular school hours, staff
member(s) shall be designated to provide supervision to students in the library.
4. Schools are encouraged to have the library open outside of the regularly
scheduled school day and if the library personnel specialist or coordinator is not
present, appropriate supervision shall be provided to the students in the library.
(b) High Schools. Schools including any combination of grades nine through twelve (9-12)
shall provide library information specialists as follows:
1. A school with a current student enrollment of 1,500 or more students shall have
two (2) full-time library information specialists, each with endorsement as a
library information specialist.
2. A school with a current student enrollment of more than 300 but less than 1,500
students shall have a full-time library information specialist with endorsement as
a library information specialist.
3. A school with a current student enrollment of fewer than 300 students shall have
a half-time library information specialist. During the time that the library is open
during regular school hours and the library information specialist is not present,
staff member(s) shall be designated to provide supervision to students in the
library.
4. Schools are encouraged to have the library open outside of the regularly
scheduled school day and if the library information specialist is not present,
appropriate supervision shall be provided to the students in the library.
(3) Library Information Center Collection.
The three (3) levels of collection standards for Tennessee school libraries are: Basic,
Standard, and Exemplary. The criteria by which school library collections are evaluated are
listed below:
(a) Item Count.
Basic collection - Contains between twelve (12) and fourteen (14) items per student
enrolled in the school;
Standard collection - Contains between fifteen (15) and seventeen (17) items per
student enrolled in the school; and
Exemplary collection - Contains eighteen (18) or more items per students enrolled in
the school.
(b) Collection Compilation.
1. Pamphlets, textbooks, class sets, periodicals, out-of-date items, and items in

poor physical condition shall neither be counted nor reported in the total
collection.
2. No more than five (5) copies of the same print title may be counted to meet
standards for a minimum number of items per student.


3. Digital resources should be accessible through a school library webpage or
Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) and may comprise fifty percent (50%) of
the collection.
4. The library shall provide access to the virtual library administered by the
Tennessee State Library and Archives and the library personnel should receive
training. These resources may count for up to twenty percent (20%) of the overall
collection or, in schools in which the librarian has received official training within
the last five (5) years, they may count for up to thirty percent (30%) of the overall
collection.
5. The collection shall include access to a current, complete encyclopedia in any

format. In high schools, the collection shall also include an unabridged dictionary,
one (1) foreign language dictionary in the native language of ESL students in
attendance at the school, a local newspaper, and one (1) daily newspaper
presenting news on both state and national levels. These items may be in any
format. For digital materials, only full text shall be counted in the total.
6. The collection should include a balance of fiction and nonfiction with an

appropriate level of text complexity. The resources in the collection should be
chosen to: complement and augment the most recently adopted curriculum, be a
motivational springboard for student research, and encourage self-expression
and curiosity by offering a variety of recreational reading material.
(c) Age.
Collections meeting the compilation standards are evaluated based on age of the
collection as measured in years from the current year:
Basic collection - sixteen (16) years and older;
Standard collection - fifteen (15) years; and
Exemplary collection - fourteen (14) years or less.
(d) Technology - Access to Digital Materials.
1. Workstations with internet access in the library information center are sufficient to
provide access for students. The number of workstations should be no less than
the average class size allowable by the state. A workstation may be a desktop,
laptop, tablet or similar device, but devices available for checkout should not be
counted in the total.
2. School libraries should be equipped with instructional technology, including, but

not limited to, LCD projector, screen and/or interactive smart board, document
camera, computer, etc., and provide user training for such devices.
3. Separate computers must be maintained for both the library management

system/circulation and for the library personnel.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-11-101, and 49-11-104. Administrative History: Original rule certified
June 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 10, 1974; effective July 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 30, 1975;
effective July 30, 1975. Amendment filed July 15, 1976; effective August 16, 1976. Amendment filed
February 28, 1978; effective March 30, 1978. Amendment filed January 9, 1979; effective February 23,
1979. Amendment and new rule filed October 15, 1979; effective January 8, 1980. Amendment filed April
14, 1980; effective May 28, 1980. Amendment filed November 13, 1981; effective March 16, 1982.


effective November 14, 1983. Repeal filed June 28, 1984; effective September 11, 1984. Amendment
filed January 31, 1985; effective April 16, 1985. Repeal filed July 22, 1987; effective October 28, 1987.
New rule filed February 16, 1989; effective April 2, 1989. Amendment filed November 9, 1989; effective
February 28, 1990. Amendment filed July 11, 1990; effective October 29, 1990. Repeal and new rule filed
March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Amendment filed September 6, 2007; effective January 28,
2008. Amendments filed August 20, 2020; effective November 18, 2020.
0520-01-02-.08 INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS.
(1) The State Board of Education recognizes the value of participation in interscholastic athletics
and the role of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association in coordinating
interscholastic athletic competition. The State Board of Education authorizes the public
schools of the state to voluntarily maintain membership in the Tennessee Secondary School
Athletic Association.
(2) The total basketball games allowed per team in a school which serves any combination of
grades K through 8 shall not exceed 20 during a school year. Tournaments shall count as
two games notwithstanding the number of games in which each team participates in a
tournament. Practice can begin no earlier than four weeks prior to the first scheduled game
and shall end after the last tournament or regular season game in which the team
participates.
(3) All athletic practice within the regular hours of any school day must be approved on an
annual basis by the local board of education; such action must be reflected in the minutes of
the local board of education. All approved athletic practice during the regular hours of any
school day shall conform to the same rules, regulations, and seasons as corresponding
athletic practice outside the school day.
(4) A local board of education shall not authorize high school credits in physical education for
participation in interscholastic athletic practice during regular school hours.
Authority: T.C.A. § 49-1-302. Administrative History: Original rule certified June 10, 1974. Amendment
filed February 28, 1978; effective March 30, 1978. Amendment filed January 9, 1979; effective February
23, 1979. Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Amendment filed October
31, 1995; effective February 28, 1996. Amendment filed April 27, 1998; effective August 28, 1998.
0520-01-02-.09 ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION.
(1) Alternative education is a non-traditional, short-term academic program or school designed to

meet the student’s educational, behavioral, and social needs. Alternative education includes
alternative schools and alternative programs.
(2) Alternative school means a short-term intervention program designed to provide educational
services outside of the regular school program for students who have been suspended or
expelled. Alternative schools are located in a separate facility from the regular school
program.
(3) Alternative program means a short-term intervention program designed to provide

educational services outside of the regular school program for students who have been
suspended or expelled. Alternative programs may be located within the regular school or be
a self-contained program within a school. Alternative programs include, but are not limited to,
night schools or in-school suspension.


(4) Pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-6-3402, local boards of education may establish alternative schools
for students in grades one (1) through six (6) who have been suspended or expelled from the
regular school program.
(5) Attendance in an alternative school or alternative program shall be voluntary for students in
grades one through six (1-6) who have been suspended or expelled from the regular school
program, unless the local board of education adopts a policy mandating attendance in either
instance.
(6) A local board of education shall establish at least one (1) alternative school for students in
grades seven (7) through twelve (12) who have been suspended or expelled. Attendance in
an alternative school or program is mandatory for students in grades seven through twelve
(7-12) who have been suspended for more than ten (10) days or expelled from the regular
school program if space and staff are available. Space and staff availability shall be
determined by the LEA at the time the disciplinary decision is rendered.
(a) Attendance in an alternative school or alternative program is not mandatory for

students in grades seven through twelve (7-12) who have been expelled from the
regular school program for committing a zero-tolerance offense. However, this does not
prohibit a director of schools, or a director's designee, from assigning a student who
has been expelled from the regular school program for committing a zero-tolerance
offense to an alternative school or alternative program.
(7) Students in pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten shall not be assigned to an alternative school or

program.
(8) Each local board of education shall adopt a policy regarding alternative education that is
aligned to this rule and the State Board’s Alternative Education Policy 2.302.
(9) Requirements for alternative education:
(a) The instruction shall proceed as nearly as practicable in accordance with the
instructional program in the student’s regular school. Instruction shall be based on the
academic standards adopted by the State Board.
(b) All course work and credits earned shall be transferred and recorded in the student's
home school, which shall grant credit earned and progress thereon as if earned in the
home school.
(c) Students shall participate in all required state assessments at sites determined by
school officials and in accordance with established guidelines regarding student grade
levels and eligibility. State assessment results shall be reported in the LEA where the
student was enrolled prior to his or her placement in the alternative school.
(d) Each alternative school or program shall comply with class size requirements
established in T.C.A. § 49-1-104 and instructional and planning time requirements
established by the State Board. Nothing shall prohibit an LEA from establishing a lower
class size ratio in an alternative school or program.
(e) The minimum length of the school day for alternative schools and programs shall be six
and one-half (6½) hours.
(f) LEAs shall monitor and regularly evaluate the academic progress of each student
enrolled in an alternative school.


(g) Students are subject to all rules pertaining to the alternative school or alternative
program.
1. The director of schools, or the director's designee, may remove a student from
the alternative school or alternative program if the director, or the director's
designee, determines that:
(i) The student has violated the rules of the alternative school or alternative
program; or
(ii) The student is not benefiting from the student's assignment to the
alternative school or alternative program, and all interventions available to
help the student to succeed in the alternative school or alternative program
have been exhausted unsuccessfully.
2. A student’s removal from the alternative school or alternative program shall not
constitute grounds for extending the length of original suspension or expulsion.
3. The director of schools, or the director's designee, shall make the final decision
on removal.
(h) If a student has an active Individualized Education Program (IEP), a 504 plan, or is
suspected of having a disability, all state and federal laws and rules relating to students
with disabilities and special education shall be followed.
(i) Prior to the assignment of a student to an alternative school or program, the LEA shall
provide written notice, which includes the reason for the student’s placement, to the
student’s parent or guardian. Reasons for placement in an alternative school must be
documented. End of year reports must be made to the regular school for each student.
(j) Each teacher providing instruction to students in an alternative education school or

program shall be licensed to teach in Tennessee and shall meet the qualifications to
teach in compliance with the rules and regulations of the State Board.
(k) Alternative schools shall have an appropriately licensed administrator assigned to

supervise the school.
(l) Support services such as counseling and psychological services must be accessible.
(m) Each LEA shall develop and implement formal transition plans for the integration of
students from a traditional school to an alternative school or from an alternative school
back to a traditional school. Transition plans shall be targeted to improve
communication between a traditional school and an alternative school staff and should
address any barriers that would prohibit students from successfully transitioning.
Transition plans shall include aligning of curricula, in-take procedures for students
returning to traditional school, professional development opportunities for traditional
and alternative school staff, educational and behavioral supports, follow-up for students
returning to traditional school, and the development of graduation and postsecondary
goals.
(n) All alternative school classrooms shall have working two-way communication systems
that make it possible for teachers or other employees to notify a principal, supervisor,
or other administrator that there is an emergency.
(o) It is the responsibility of the superintendent to ensure that all alternative school
teachers and other employees have been trained to use the two-way communication


system and are notified of emergency procedures prior to the beginning of classes for
any school year and when changes are made in the emergency procedures and/or
personnel. Such emergency procedures shall be linked to the school and school
system emergency preparedness plan.
(p) LEAs shall submit an annual alternative education survey to the Department that
provides the following information:
1. Alternative schools or programs currently in operation in the LEA;
2. Number and grade level of students served;
3. Primary reason for student assignment;
4. Number of faculty and staff; and
5. Information required by T.C.A. § 49-6-3405.
(10) Funding:
(a) Students attending an alternative school shall continue to earn Basic Education
Program (BEP) funding for the LEA in which the student is enrolled.
(11) Facilities:
(a) A local board of education may not contract or otherwise affiliate with an alternative
school program which requires an order of a court as a precondition of placement in
such alternative school.
(b) A local board of education may contract with independent contractors to provide
alternative school facilities and other appropriate services consistent with T.C.A. § 49-
2-203.
(c) A local board of education may establish its own facility.
(d) Two or more boards may join together and establish an alternative school attended by
students from any such LEA.
(e) Through a mutually accepted agreement with another local board of education, a board
may send its suspended or expelled students to an alternative school already existing
in another LEA.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-6-3401, 49-6-3402, and 49-6-3405 and Public Chapter 535 of the Acts of the
97th General Assembly, Section 41. Administrative History: Original rule certified June 10, 1974.
Amendment filed February 28, 1978; effective March 30, 1978. Amendment filed January 9, 1979;
effective February 23, 1979. Amendment filed April 14, 1980; effective May 28, 1980. Amendment filed
June 28, 1984; effective September 11, 1984. Amendment filed January 2, 1986; effective April 15, 1986.
Amendment filed May 28, 1986; effective June 27, 1986. Amendment filed April 24, 1987; effective June
8, 1987. Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Amendment filed June 24,
1992; effective September 28, 1992. Amendment filed April 18, 1997; effective August 28, 1997.
Amendment filed April 27, 1998; effective August 28, 1998. Amendments filed August 20, 2020; effective
November 18, 2020.
0520-01-02-.10 HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION.
(1) Definitions. As used in this rule:

(a) “Homebound Instruction Period” means the number of school days that the medical
homebound instruction program shall be provided to the student.
(b) “Individualized Education Program (IEP) team” means a group of individuals described
in 34 C.F.R. § 300.321 that is responsible for developing, reviewing, and/or revising an
IEP for a child with a disability.
(c) “Medical Condition” means a physical or mental condition, illness, or disorder that
prevents a student from attending regular classes and is certified in writing by the
student’s treating physician.
(d) “Medical Homebound Instruction Program” means an instruction program provided at

home, hospital, or other related locations to all students, including students with
disabilities, who are enrolled in a public school but are unable to attend regular classes
due to a medical condition.
(e) “Regular Classes” means the classes to which the student has been assigned by the
school where the student is enrolled.
(f) “Review Team” means Local Education Agency (“LEA”) staff and/or school staff,
including the student’s 504 team or IEP team if applicable, who are familiar with the
health and educational needs of the student for whom a medical homebound
instruction program is being requested.
(g) “Student” means a child enrolled in a Tennessee public school in grades kindergarten
through grade twelve (K-12).
(h) “Treating Physician” means a person who is licensed under T.C.A. Title 63, Chapter 6;
T.C.A. Title 63, Chapter 9; T.C.A. Title 63, Chapter 11; or T.C.A. § 63-23-105 or similar
statute in another jurisdiction and who is the professional treating the student for the
medical condition requiring medical homebound instruction.
(2) Medical Homebound Qualification and Placement
(a) Each LEA shall establish a medical homebound instruction program for each student
enrolled in the LEA who qualifies. A student qualifies for a medical homebound
instruction program if the student’s treating physician certifies in writing that the student
has a medical condition that prevents the student from attending regular classes. A
student is prevented from attending regular classes if the student will miss more than
ten (10) consecutive instructional days over the period of the school year due to the
medical condition. An LEA may also create a policy that allows students who miss an
aggregate number of instructional days over the period of the school year due to a
medical condition to be eligible for a medical homebound instruction program.
(b) Once a student has qualified for a medical homebound instruction program, the
homebound instruction period shall be determined by the student’s review team on a
case-by-case basis and shall take into consideration the recommendations of the
student’s treating physician, if available. Educational decisions regarding the student’s
medical homebound instruction program shall be determined by the student’s review
team on a case-by-case basis.
(c) Decisions regarding students with disabilities who require instruction in the home,
hospital, or related site pursuant to an IEP team’s determination that the home,
hospital, or related site is the child’s least restrictive environment are governed by the
requirements set forth in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (34 C.F.R. §


300.39; 34 C.F.R. § 300.115) and State Board Rule 0520-01-09-.07 regarding
educational homebound placements.
(3) Medical Homebound Instructional Requirements
(a) A medical homebound instruction program shall consist of a minimum of three (3)
hours of instruction per week while school is in session for the homebound instruction
period determined by the student’s review team.
(b) For students receiving special education and related services, the frequency and
duration of instruction necessary to provide a free appropriate public education for a
student with a disability during a medical homebound instruction program placement
shall be determined by the student’s IEP team, but shall not be less than the minimum
of three (3) hours per week.
(c) The student’s review team shall consider the student’s grade level, academic status,
physical abilities, individual academic needs, homebound instruction period, and similar
factors when determining the amount of instructional time per week provided to the
student under a medical homebound instruction program.
(d) The minimum of three (3) hours of instruction per week shall not include travel to and
from the student or preparation time. Homebound instruction is measured by the
amount of time that the student and the homebound teacher are working together; or, if
a student is enrolled in an LEA’s virtual program, homebound instruction is only the
actual time that the student is engaging in instruction via the virtual program.
(e) Homebound instruction shall be provided by a teacher holding a valid Tennessee

teacher license as provided in T.C.A. Title 49, Chapter 5.
(f) An adult, other than the homebound teacher/instructor, shall be present during the
homebound instruction period.
(g) The LEA may provide the homebound instruction program by sending a teacher to the
student’s home, hospital, or related site, by contracting with a hospital or related site to
provide educational services to the student in compliance with this rule, or via the
LEA's own online or virtual program, if the review team deems it appropriate for the
student. The LEA shall verify that the student has all the necessary equipment, access,
and training for working via the internet at no additional cost to the student.
(4) Recertification for Medical Homebound
(a) A medical homebound instruction program for longer than the initial medical
homebound instruction period shall only be provided to a student who is recertified in
writing by his or her treating physician as having a medical condition that, in the
student’s treating physician’s judgment, continues to prevent the student from returning
to regular classes.
(b) The initial medical homebound instruction period and any additional medical
homebound instruction period shall be for the number of school days certified by the
student’s review team.
(c) Recertification must be obtained upon the expiration of each additional medical
homebound instruction period if medical homebound instruction is to be continued
beyond the initial medical homebound instruction period.
(5) Reentry

(a) Prior to the expiration of the medical homebound instruction period, the review team
shall develop a transition plan for the student’s reentry into the school environment.
(6) Attendance and Funding
(a) LEAs are responsible for ensuring the provision of medical homebound instruction to
students enrolled in the LEA. Such students shall not be counted absent from school
and shall continue to earn Basic Education Program (BEP) funding for the LEA in
which the student is enrolled.
(b) IDEA Part B funds may be expended only for instruction of students with disabilities
who are placed in a homebound instruction program.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-10-1101, 49-10-1102, and 49-10-1103; 34 C.F.R. § 300.39; and 34 C.F.R. §
300.115. Administrative History: Original rule certified June 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 10, 1974;
Amendment filed January 9, 1979; effective February 23, 1979. Repeal and new rule filed March 16,
1992; effective June 29, 1992. Repeal and new rule filed May 20, 2019; effective August 18, 2019.
Amendments filed April 7, 2021; effective July 6, 2021.
0520-01-02-.11 SCHOOL BOARD TRAINING.
(1) Approval of Training Courses.
(a) Local school board member training courses (“Training Courses”) shall be approved by
the State Board.
(b) Training Course hours will be recognized only for Training Courses approved by the
State Board in accordance with this rule.
(c) The State Board shall appoint a School Board Training Advisory Committee (“Advisory
Committee”) responsible for evaluating and recommending Training Courses for
approval. The Advisory Committee shall include a member of the State Board of
Education, the Executive Director of the State Board or his/her designee, the
Commissioner of Education or his/her designee, and at least one (1) local school board
member. The Advisory Committee may also include others appointed by the State
Board for terms designated by the State Board.
(d) Beginning in 2022, the Advisory Committee shall evaluate proposed Training Courses
and recommend Training Courses for approval to the State Board. The Advisory
Committee shall require prospective Training Course providers to submit an application
for Training Course approval to the Advisory Committee by February 15 prior to the
fiscal year in which the Training Course will be offered. The application for Training
Course approval shall include, but is not limited to, the following information:
1. Name of the prospective Training Course provider (individual(s), entity, and/or

LEA);
2. Experience of the prospective Training Course provider in providing school board

member training;
3. Instructor qualifications;
4. Title, proposed agenda, and length of Training Course(s);

5. Intended audience for the Training Course(s) (New Board Members and/or
Experienced Board Members);
6. Description of content to be delivered and learning objectives;
7. Description of instructional strategies, activities, and presentation materials;
8. Method of delivery of Training Course content (webinar, in-person, etc.);
9. Fees, if any, to be charged;
10. Methods used to evaluate the achievement of stated learning objectives and
Training Course provider effectiveness; and
11. If an LEA proposes Training Courses for approval, the proposal shall state
whether the Training Courses are restricted to members of the LEA’s Board of
Education or if Training Courses will be open to any Board of Education member
who wishes to participate.
(e) Any Training Courses not recommended for approval may be re-submitted by the
provider to the Advisory Committee during the next application cycle.
(f) Training Courses that meet the requirements of this rule and are recommended by the
Advisory Committee for approval shall be submitted by the Advisory Committee to the
State Board for approval.
1. Beginning in 2022, the Advisory Committee shall submit recommended Training

Courses for approval to the State Board no later than May 1 prior to the fiscal
year in which the Training Course will be offered.
2. Training Courses recommended by the Advisory Committee and approved by the

State Board shall be included in State Board Local School Board Member
Training Policy 2.100.
3. Training Course approvals are valid for three (3) years, unless the provider or
State Board indicates the Training Course is proposed or approved for a shorter
period of time.
4. Approved Training Course providers shall notify State Board staff if any changes
to information outlined in subparagraph (1)(d) are made to approved Training
Courses during the approval period. State Board staff shall determine if re-
approval by the State Board is required as a result of the changes.
(g) When submitting recommended Training Courses for approval to the State Board, the
Advisory Committee shall include a summary of the reasons for the approval
recommendation.
(2) Training Requirements.
(a) Training Requirements for New Board Members. Beginning on July 1, 2022, newly
elected or newly appointed members of a local board of education (“New Board
Members”) shall, at a minimum, participate in twenty-one (21) hours of training during
their first year in office. The twenty-one (21) hours shall include fourteen (14) hours of
orientation Training Courses covering topics outlined in subparagraph (2)(a)1.;
however, if a New Board Member has been elected to a local board of education with a


break in service of more than four (4) years, the New Board Member may choose to
substitute any orientation Training Course with any other approved Training Course to
count toward the required fourteen (14) hours of orientation training. The remaining
seven (7) hours shall be selected from any additional approved Training Course(s). All
required training hours shall be completed within twelve (12) months of joining the local
board of education.
1. Orientation Training Course Content. New Board Members shall complete

orientation Training Courses covering the following topics:
(i) Education’s governance structure, including an overview of the roles and

responsibilities of the State Board of Education, Department of Education,
and the Public Charter School Commission;
(ii) School data and finance;
(iii) Communication and engagement;
(iv) Board policies;
(v) Strategic planning;
(vi) School law;
(vii) Board/Director of Schools relations;
(viii) Board/staff relations;
(ix) Board/student relations;
(x) Tennessee open meetings and open records requirements; and
(xi) Conflict of interest and ethics.
(b) Training Requirements for Experienced Board Members. Beginning on July 1, 2022,
experienced local school board members with one (1) or more years of service on a
local board of education with a break in service of no more than four (4) years
(“Experienced Board Members”) shall, at a minimum, complete seven (7) hours of
training each fiscal year.
1. Training Course Content. Experienced Board Members shall select any approved
Training Course(s) to meet the required seven (7) hours each fiscal year.
2. Local school board members who are re-elected to a local board of education
with no break in service shall be considered Experienced Board Members for
training purposes.
(3) School Board Member Stipends and Monitoring.
(a) Local school board members may receive a stipend for completing approved Training
Courses, subject to available funding. The Department of Education may be
responsible for administration of any stipend payments utilizing state funds.
(b) The Department of Education shall be responsible for monitoring local school board
member compliance with these rules. Approved Training Course providers shall
provide a list to the Department of Education of all local school board members who


have completed approved Training Courses during the fiscal year. This report shall be
submitted to the Department of Education by July 15 following each fiscal year.
(c) If a local school board member is unable to complete all required training hours due to
an unanticipated hardship, the Commissioner of Education may reduce the number of
hours required for the board member under this rule upon receiving explanation of the
unanticipated hardship and request for reduction. Any reduction granted by the
Commissioner of Education shall only be valid for one (1) year. If a New Board Member
is granted a reduction by the Commissioner, any orientation Training Courses not
completed by the board member shall be made up in the following year. If a local
school board member was unable to complete any of the required training hours due to
an unanticipated hardship, the local board of education may request that the
Commissioner of Education waive the annual training requirement for that board
member. The waiver request shall include an explanation of the unanticipated hardship
that prevented the board member from completing any required training hours.
(4) Until June 30, 2022, local school board members shall comply with Training Course
requirements through participation in the School Board Academy program administered by
the Department of Education. Beginning on July 1, 2022 and thereafter, local school board
members shall comply with Training Course requirements outlined in this rule.
Authority: T.C.A. § 49-2-202(a)(6). Administrative History: Original rule certified June 10, 1974.
Amendment filed June 10, 1974; effective July 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 30, 1975; effective July
30, 1975. Amendment filed July 15, 1976; effective August 16, 1976. Amendment filed February 28,
1978; effective March 30, 1978. Amendment filed January 9, 1979; effective February 23, 1979.
Amendment and new rule filed October 15, 1979; effective January 8, 1980. Amendment filed April 14,
1980; effective May 28, 1980. Amendment filed November 13, 1981; effective January 20, 1982.
Amendment filed January 2, 1986; effective April 15, 1986. Amendment filed May 23, 1986; effective
June 27, 1986. Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Amendment filed
September 22, 2015; effective December 21, 2015. Amendments filed March 2, 2021; effective May 31,
2021. Amendments filed December 2, 2021; effective March 2, 2022.
0520-01-02-.12 WAIVERS.
(1) Pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-1-201(d), upon application by an LEA for one (1) or more of its
schools, the Commissioner of Education may waive any State Board rule or statute that
inhibits or hinders the LEA's ability to meet its goals or comply with its mission.
(2) Waivers shall not be granted by the Commissioner for requirements related to:
(a) Federal and state civil rights;
(b) Federal, state, and local health and safety;
(c) Federal and state public records;
(d) Immunizations;
(e) Possession of weapons on school grounds;
(f) Background checks and fingerprinting of personnel;
(g) Federal and state special education services;
(h) Student due process;


(i) Parental rights;
(j) Federal and state student assessment and accountability;
(k) Open meetings;
(l) Educators’ due process rights;
(m) Reductions in teachers’ salaries;
(n) Employee rights, salaries and benefits;
(o) Licensure of employees;
(p) Maximum class sizes established in T.C.A. § 49-1-104, unless in the case of a natural
disaster that results in the enrollment of displaced students.
(3) All waiver requests shall be submitted in writing to the Commissioner by the director of
schools on the forms provided by the Department.
(4) All waiver requests shall include a listing of the specific State Board rule or statute requested
to be waived.
(5) The Commissioner may request additional information to supplement a completed request.
(6) The Department shall post to its website any waiver of statutes, rules, regulations, or policies
granted by the Commissioner within five (5) business days of the Commissioner’s approval.
The waivers shall include the name of the LEA requesting the waiver and an explanation of
the waiver requested.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-104, 49-1-201(d), and 49-1-203. Administrative History: Original rule
certified June 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 30, 1975; effective July 30, 1975. Amendment filed
February 28, 1978; effective March 30, 1978. Amendment filed January 9, 1979; effective February 23,
1979. Amendment filed April 14, 1980; effective May 28, 1980. Amendment filed April 12, 1983; effective
May 12, 1983. Amendment filed June 27, 1984; effective July 27, 1984. Amendment filed June 28, 1984;
effective September 11, 1984. Amendment filed May 28, 1986; effective June 27, 1986. Amendment filed
October 15, 1986; effective January 27, 1987. Amendment filed July 21, 1988; effective October 29,
1988. Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Amendments filed August 20,
2020; effective November 18, 2020.
0520-01-02-.13 FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS.
(1) Data Collection
(a) The Commissioner of Education shall prescribe a system of school fiscal accounting for
all school systems which ensures that the expenditure of funds is properly accounted
for and safeguarded in accordance with current law and State Board of Education
rules, regulations, and minimum standards. The Commissioner shall require such
reports from school systems as are required by federal or state law, State Board of
Education rules, or as are otherwise necessary for ensuring fiscal accountability
standards.
(b) To ensure proper financial reporting of revenue and expenditures for all public school
purposes, the system of school fiscal accounting shall include a standard chart of
accounts and audit procedures. The standard chart of accounts shall be the basis for
the Annual Public School Budget Document, which shall contain the account codes


necessary to ensure the capability for meaningful comparisons of school systems. At a
minimum, the Budget Document shall include separate account codes for all classroom
and non-classroom components of the Basic Education Program (BEP), or for
accounts which may be compiled into BEP components, and sufficient revenue
account codes to differentiate between federal, state and local revenue.
(c) The report of actual expenditures shall be the Annual Public School Financial Report
and shall include sufficient information to allow a system by system comparison of
budgeted and actual expenditures for BEP funding within the classroom and non-
classroom areas. The Financial Report shall, at a minimum, contain account codes
identifiable as BEP program components, or accounts which may be compiled into
BEP components, and shall differentiate between federal, state and local revenue
when reporting actual revenue for the prior year and estimated revenue for budget
purposes.
(d) The Department of Education shall establish procedures for collecting and verifying
average daily memberships for use in determining BEP allocations.
(2) Reports & Documents
(a) Within thirty (30) days of the beginning of each school year, each school system shall
submit to the Commissioner of Education, on a form provided by the Department of
Education, a complete and certified copy of its entire school budget for the current
year.
(b) On or before August 1 of each year, each school system shall submit to the
Commissioner a correct and accurate financial report of public school revenues and
expenditures for the school year ending on June 30. The Commissioner of Education
shall require such reports and maintain such documents as will allow a comparison of
BEP allocations with actual expenditures for each school system.
(c) The Commissioner shall provide to the State Board of Education on or before October
1 of each year a report of ADM for each school system for the previous school year.
(d) The Department of Education shall prepare and the State Board of Education shall
approve estimated BEP allocations for each school system no less than 90 days prior
to the beginning of the fiscal year.
(e) Modifications, revisions, or corrections to estimated BEP payments to LEAs will be

made by the Department of Education and approved by the State Board of Education.
(3) Review and Verification
(a) The budget submitted by each school system will be reviewed by the Department of
Education to ensure that state funds are not being used to supplant local funds and
that each school system has appropriated funds sufficient to fund its local share of the
BEP.
(b) Revenue derived from local sources must equal or exceed prior year actual revenues -
excluding capital outlay and debt service, and adjusted for decline in average daily
membership (ADM).
(c) The Department of Education shall verify that BEP funds are being budgeted for
eligible expenses and that BEP funds earned in the classroom components, as defined
by the State Board of Education, are budgeted for use in the classroom. The


Commissioner shall advise the State Board of Education of all systems which fail to
meet these minimum standards.
(d) Each school system shall provide to the Commissioner of Education or a designated
representative copies of all school system related audit reports, including those made
by governmental or independent public accountants.
(e) The Department of Education shall conduct review and follow-up procedures to ensure
that audit exceptions are evaluated and appropriate actions are taken. The
Commissioner shall notify the State Board of Education of any material and significant
findings which reflect on the ability of the LEA to provide a quality education or which
indicate that progress toward satisfactory resolution is not being made.
(4) Audit
(a) An Internal Audit Section will be maintained in the Department of Education for the
purpose of testing and evaluating school system administrative and accounting
controls, compliance, and financial and program accountability for state and federally
funded programs, and for compliance with State Board of Education rules, regulations,
and minimum standards. The Internal Audit Section shall make such full and limited
scope audits as it deems necessary under the circumstances, and special audits as
requested by responsible government officials. The audits will be performed in
accordance with standards for the professional practice of internal auditing and with
generally accepted governmental auditing standards.
(b) To provide reasonable assurance that attendance and financial reports are reliable and
accurate, the Internal Audit Section shall conduct audit procedures for the review and
testing of the attendance accounting system. The Internal Audit Section shall review
such programs as necessary to provide reasonable assurance that funds are properly
accounted for and safeguarded in accordance with current law, applicable federal
standards, and State Board of Education rules, regulations, and minimum standards.
Audits shall include evaluating program objectives, grant performance and
accountability to determine that each LEA has a system in place to ensure compliance
with program regulations and guidelines.
(c) The Commissioner of Education shall be advised of all audits, including a summary of
the scope of the audit, the findings, recommendations, management comments, and
conclusions including a determination as to the adequacy of corrective action planned
or implemented. The State Board of Education, Superintendent, and representatives of
the Comptroller’s Office shall be provided copies of all audits conducted.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-201, 49-1-210, and 49-1-302. Administrative History: Original rule filed
November 3, 1993; effective March 30, 1994. Amendment filed June 30, 1995; effective October 27,
1995. Amendments filed August 11, 2017; effective November 9, 2017.
0520-01-02-.14 REPEALED.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-209, 49-1-210, and 49-1-302(i). Administrative History: Original rule filed
January 31, 1995; effective May 31, 1995. Amendment filed August 7, 1995; effective December 29,
1995. Repeal filed August 20, 2020; effective November 18, 2020.
0520-01-02-.15 REPEALED.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302(a) and 49-6-2202(c). Administrative History: Original rule filed January
31, 1995; effective May 31, 1995. Amendment filed August 7, 1995; effective December 29, 1995. Repeal
filed August 11, 2017; effective November 9, 2017.

0520-01-02-.16 SCHOOL FEES AND DEBTS.
(1) School Fees.
(a) No fees or tuition shall be required of any student as a condition of attending a public
school or using its equipment while receiving educational training.
(b) Local boards of education may adopt a policy requesting, but not requiring certain
school fees of any student, regardless of financial status (including eligibility for free or
reduced price lunch). All school fees must be authorized by the local board of
education. The school fees that may be requested, but not required include:
1. Fees for activities that occur during regular school hours (the required 180
instructional days), including field trips, any portion of which fall within the school
day; or for activities outside regular school hours if required for credit or grade;
2. Fees for activities and supplies required to participate in all courses offered for
credit or grade, including interscholastic athletics and marching band if taken for
credit in accordance with local board policies;
3. Fees or tuition applicable to courses taken during the summer by a student,

except that nonresident students regularly enrolled in another school system may
be required to pay fees or tuition for such summer courses;
4. Fees required for graduation ceremonies; and
5. Refundable security deposits requested by a school for use of school property for
courses offered for credit or grade, including interscholastic athletics and
marching band if taken for credit or grade in accordance with local board policies.
(c) Local Education Agencies (LEAs) shall establish a process by which to waive any
requested, but not required, school fees.
1. At the beginning of the school year, at the time of enrollment, and/or at the time
of requesting school fees, all students and their parents or legal guardians shall
be given clear and prominent written notice of authorized fees that may be
requested, but not required, and notice of the fee waiver process.
2. The parent or legal guardian of a student shall be given the opportunity to pay all
or any portion of the requested school fee if they desire.
3. If a waiver is not approved by the LEA, the LEA cannot require payment of the
requested fee. If the parent chooses not to pay a requested fee, the child shall
not be prevented from participating in the activity or course for which the fee is
being requested.
(2) School Debts and Other Permissible Charges.
(a) LEAs are authorized to require payment of the following by all affected students:
1. Fines imposed on all students for late-returned library books; parking or other
traffic fines imposed for abuse of parking privileges on school property; or
reasonable charges for lost or destroyed textbooks, library books, workbooks, or
any other property of the school;
2. Debts incurred pursuant to paragraph (2)(b);

3. Refundable security deposits collected by a school for use of school property for
participation in extracurricular, non-credit-bearing activities;
4. Costs for extracurricular activities occurring outside the regular school day
including sports, optional trips, clubs, or social events; and
5. Non-resident tuition charged of all students attending a school system other than
the one (1) serving their place of residence.
(b) Withholding of Student Grades for Debts Owed to the School.
1. LEAs are authorized to withhold all grade cards, diplomas, certificates of

progress, or transcripts of a student who has taken property that belongs to a
LEA, or has incurred a debt to a school, until such student makes restitution in
full. Unpaid school fees, as defined above, shall not be considered debts owed to
the school.
2. No student shall be sanctioned under the provisions of this rule when the student
is deemed by the LEA to be without fault for the debt owed to the LEA or the
school.
3. Nothing in this rule authorizes any LEA to limit the rights of parents or legal
guardians to have access to their children’s educational records pursuant to the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
4. LEAs shall afford the student and/or the student’s parent or legal guardian the
opportunity to appear and be heard if such student and/or the parent or legal
guardian disputes the debt, the amount of the debt, or the application of
sanctions.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-2-110, 49-2-114, and 49-6-3401. Administrative History: Original
rule filed April 28, 2000; effective August 28, 2000. Amendments filed August 20, 2020; effective
November 18, 2020.
0520-01-02-.17 STATE ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES.
(1) Children entering kindergarten shall be five (5) years of age on or before August 15.
However, a child does not have to enroll in school at five (5) years of age, but enrollment
must occur no later than the beginning of the academic year following the child’s sixth (6th)
birthday.
(2) Any transfer student applying for admission who was legally enrolled in an approved
kindergarten in another state and who will be five (5) years of age no later than December 31
of the current school year shall be enrolled.
(3) Pursuant to the Tennessee compulsory attendance law, all children must attend school
between the ages of six (6) and seventeen (17), both inclusive. T.C.A. §§ 49-6-3001 and 49-
6-3005 provide that the following children may be exempt from the compulsory attendance
law:
(a) Children mentally or physically incapacitated to perform school duties, with the
disability attested to by a duly licensed physician in all cases;
(b) Children who have completed high school and hold a high school diploma or other
certificate of graduation;

(c) Children enrolled and making satisfactory progress in a course of instruction leading to
a high school equivalency diploma;
(d) Children participating in a program of hospital or homebound instruction administered

or approved by the LEA;
(e) Children six (6) years of age or under whose parent or guardian have filed a notice of
intent to conduct a home school as provided by T.C.A. § 49-6-3001 or who are
conducting a home school as provided by T.C.A. § 49-6-3050;
(f) Children enrolled in a home school who have reached seventeen (17) years of age;
and
(g) Children who have attained their seventeenth (17th) birthday and whose continued
compulsory attendance, in the opinion of the local board of education in charge of the
school to which the children belong and are enrolled, results in detriment to good order
and discipline and to the instruction of other students and is not of substantial benefit to
the children.
(4) Local boards of education may admit students from outside their respective local school
district at any time.
(a) Local boards of education may arrange for the transfer of students residing within their
district to other school districts by establishing agreements with other local boards of
education for the admission or transfer of students from one (1) school district to
another.
(b) The receiving board of education may set a time before or during the school year after
which it will not accept transfer students. The receiving board of education may charge
the non-resident student tuition to attend.
(c) If a local board of education otherwise permits non-resident students to transfer into its
schools, it may not discriminate against any students solely on the grounds of their
race, sex, national origin, or disability, nor may it charge such students a tuition over
and above the usual tuition for students without disabilities.
(5) Each local board of education shall adopt an attendance policy in accordance with the State
Board’s School Attendance Policy 4.100 that is firm, but fair; includes effective accounting
and reporting procedures; accounts for extenuating circumstances; includes appeal
procedures; and establishes and maintains alternative programs for students who fail to meet
minimum attendance requirements.
(a) The policy shall address the excusing of absences in accordance with the State
Board’s School Attendance Policy 4.100.
(b) The policy shall address unexcused absences in accordance with the State Board’s
School Attendance Policy 4.100.
(c) The policy shall align with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act [found at 42
U.S.C. §§ 11431, et seq.].
(d) Local attendance policies shall not be used to penalize students academically.
(e) The attendance policy adopted by the local board of education shall be posted at each
school, and school counselors shall be supplied copies for discussion with students.


The policy shall be referenced in all school handbooks. All teachers, administrative
staff, and parents/guardians shall be provided copies of the policy.
(6) Pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-6-3009, each local board of education shall adopt a progressive
truancy intervention plan for students who violate compulsory attendance requirements prior
to the filing of a truancy petition or a criminal prosecution for educational neglect. These
interventions must be designed to address student conduct related to truancy in the school
setting and minimize the need for referrals to juvenile court.
(7) Whenever possible, attendance issues should be resolved at the school level. To ensure due
process, local boards of education must adopt a policy that affords students with excessive
(more than 5) unexcused absences the opportunity to appeal. Such policy must, at minimum,
include written or actual notice to the student or their parent/guardian and the opportunity to
be heard. The burden of proof rests on the student or their parent/guardian. The appeal
process for determining unexcused absences is ancillary to a truancy decision rendered by a
juvenile court judge as described in T.C.A. § 49-6-3010.
(8) LEAs are encouraged to develop truancy boards, youth courts, or other alternative programs
to serve as an intervention for students with excessive absences. These may be in addition
to, or a part of, the progressive truancy intervention plan required by T.C.A. § 49-6-3009.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-6-3002, 49-6-3005, and 49-6-3009, Executive Order No. 14 of 2020 (and
applicable, subsequent Executive Orders addressing COVID-19 relief), and Public Chapter 652 of 2020.
Administrative History: (For history prior to June 1992, see pages iii through ix). Repeal filed March 16,
1992; effective June 29, 1992. New rule filed December 23, 2014; effective March 23, 2015. Emergency
rules filed April 16, 2020; effective through October 13, 2020. Emergency rules expired effective October
14, 2020, and the rules reverted to their previous statuses. Amendments filed August 20, 2020; effective
November 18, 2020.
0520-01-02-.18 THROUGH 0520-01-02-.29 REPEALED.
Authority: T.C.A. § 49-1-203. Administrative History: (For history prior to June 1992, see pages iii
through ix). Repeal filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992.
0520-01-02-.30 SCHOOL SAFETY.
(1) All public schools shall have an automated external defibrillator (AED) device placed within
the school. Each school shall comply with the training, notification, and maintenance
requirements relative to AEDs in accordance with all provisions of T.C.A. Title 68, Chapter
140, Part 4.
(2) Each LEA shall have a multi-hazard emergency operations plan to include, but not be limited
to, fire, tornado, earthquake, flood, bomb threat, and armed intrusion.
(a) Each school shall practice emergency safety procedures.
(b) Each LEA having jurisdiction that lies entirely or partially within one hundred (100)
miles of the New Madrid Fault Line shall implement earthquake preparedness drills in
each of the schools administered by such LEA. The Guidebook for Developing a
School Earthquake Safety Program published by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency shall serve as the model plan for local education agencies to consider when
adopting plans for earthquake preparedness drills. Affected local education agencies
shall review and consider the entire guidebook to ensure that their schools provide the
optimal safety conditions for their students.


(c) Each school administered by an LEA having jurisdiction that lies entirely or partially
within one hundred (100) miles of the New Madrid Fault Line shall conduct at least two
(2) earthquake preparedness drills every school year. A record of the earthquake
preparedness drills, including the time and date, shall be kept in the respective schools
and shall be made available upon request by the Department of Education.
(d) Each school that utilizes a two (2)-way communication system shall ensure teachers
and other personnel are properly and adequately trained on the use of the system.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302 and 49-2-122. Administrative History: Original rules filed August 20,
2020; effective November 18, 2020.
0520-01-02-.31 ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF SCHOOLS.
(1) The minimum length of the school day for students shall be six and one-half (6½) hours.
(a) LEAs may provide for professional development during the school day under one (1) of
the following options:
1. LEAs which elect to extend the school day to at least seven (7) hours for the
purpose of meeting instructional time requirements missed due to dangerous or
extreme weather conditions may allocate a portion of that extension for the
purpose of faculty professional development, IEP team meetings, school-wide or
system-wide instructional planning meetings, parent/teacher conferences, or
other similar meetings, as permitted in T.C.A. § 49-6-3004(e)(1), under the
following conditions:
(i) Prior to the beginning of the school year, the LEA shall designate how
many days shall be allocated for dangerous or extreme weather conditions
and how many shall be allocated for student dismissals for faculty
professional development, IEP team meetings, school-wide or system-wide
instructional planning meetings, parent/teacher conferences, or other
similar meetings. The total number of days shall not exceed thirteen (13).
(ii) Faculty professional development shall be consistent with the policies,

standards, and guidelines established by the State Board of Education.
(iii) LEAs shall submit their plans for the allocation of excess time to the
Commissioner for approval.
2. LEAs may adopt policies providing for individual schools to have school days of
at least seven (7) hours in order to accumulate instructional time to be used for
periodic early student dismissals for the purpose of faculty professional
development. The following conditions shall apply to LEAs exercising this option:
(i) Early dismissals shall not exceed the equivalent of thirteen (13) days and
shall not exceed three and one-half (3½) hours in any week.
(ii) Students shall attend school one-hundred eighty (180) days.
(iii) Faculty professional development shall be consistent with standards and

guidelines established by the State Board of Education in the Professional
Development Policy 5.200.


(2) The length of the kindergarten day shall not be less than four (4) hours. Double sessions in
any kindergarten program may be permitted so long as both sessions meet all legal
requirements for kindergarten programs.
(3) A cumulative record provided to teachers by the LEA shall be kept up to date for each
student, kindergarten (K) through grade twelve (12), and shall remain as local school
property.
(a) Each school shall provide for the storage and safekeeping of all records and reports.
(b) The maintenance, use, dissemination, and confidentiality of information in school

records and reports shall be governed by written policies of the local board of
education.
(4) Local boards of education shall have policies providing for class sizes in grades kindergarten
(K) through twelve (12) in accordance with the following:
Grade Level Average Class Size Maximum Class Size

K-3 20 25
4-6 25 30
7-12 30 35
Career and Technical 20 25
Education
(a) The average class size for a grade level unit (such as the unit K-3) shall not exceed the
stated average, although individual classes within that grade level unit may exceed the
average.
(b) No class shall exceed the prescribed maximum size.
(c) The average class size and the maximum class size shall be based on regular
classroom teaching positions pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-1-104(c).
(d) Class size limits may be exceeded in such areas as keyboarding and instrumental and
vocal music classes, provided that the effectiveness of the instructional program in
these areas is not impaired.
(e) LEAs may seek a waiver from the Commissioner to extend the Career and Technical
Education (CTE) class size average in grades nine through twelve (9-12), provided that
individual class sizes do not exceed the maximum class size set for CTE classes.
(f) LEAs shall not establish split-grade classes for the purpose of complying with the
provisions of the class size averages and maximums. However, these provisions do
not prevent LEAs from using multi-aged classes.
(g) Local boards of education must approve the establishment of any split-grade classes
for any purpose, provided that split-grade classes shall not be established for the
purpose of compliance with the provisions herein.
(h) The average class size specified for the grade levels involved in split-grade classes will
be the maximum size allowed in such classes.
(5) Teachers shall be on duty at least seven (7) hours per day and such additional time as the
LEA requires.


(6) Local boards of education shall provide full-time classroom teachers in grades kindergarten
(K) through twelve (12) with individual duty-free planning periods during the established
instructional day.
(a) Individual planning time shall consist of two and one-half (2½) hours each week during
which teachers have no other assigned duties or responsibilities other than planning for
instruction. The two and one-half (2½) hours may be divided on a daily or other basis.
(b) In schools providing a lunch period for students, all teachers shall be provided each
day with a lunch period during which they shall not have assigned duties. The lunch
period for each teacher shall be at least the same amount of time as that allowed for
students. Individual duty-free planning time shall not occur during any period that
teachers are entitled to duty-free lunch.
(c) Any LEA which is providing an individual duty-free planning period by extending the
school day by thirty (30) minutes as of the beginning of the 2000–01 school year may
continue such practice and satisfy the planning time requirements.
(7) Local boards of education shall ensure compliance with the background check requirements
of T.C.A. §§ 49-5-406 and 49-5-413, for all teachers or for any other positions requiring close
proximity to children.
(8) Local boards of education shall develop, maintain, and implement a long-range strategic plan
that addresses at least a five (5)-year period of time. The plan shall be posted to the LEA’s
website and include a mission statement, goals, objectives, and strategies, and identify how
the strategic plan supports one (1) or more goals contained in the State Board of Education
Master Plan. The strategic plan shall be reviewed every two (2) years and updated, if
necessary. The LEA shall develop and implement a district-level improvement plan that
operationalizes the local board of education’s five (5)-year strategic plan in accordance with
State Board District and School Improvement Planning Policy 2.101.
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-104, 49-1-302, 49-1-613, and 49-6-3004. Administrative History: Original
rules filed August 20, 2020; effective November 18, 2020. Amendments filed December 2, 2021; effective
March 2, 2022.

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RULES

0520-01-02-.01 Approval of Local Education Agencies 0520-01-02-.12 Waivers

0520-01-02-.01 APPROVAL OF LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES (LEAS).

(a) Each LEA shall be classified as approved, conditionally approved, or non-approved

March, 2022 (Revised) 1

(Rule 0520-01-02-.01, continued)

0520-01-02-.02 SALARY SCHEDULES.

1. Verified administrative, supervisory, and/or teaching experience in a public

(c) Verified teaching experience in a regionally accredited institution of higher education;

March, 2022 (Revised) 2

(Rule 0520-01-02-.02, continued)

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-1-302(a)(5), 49-3-306, 49-5-402, and 49-6-101. Administrative

March, 2022 (Revised) 3

(Rule 0520-01-02-.03, continued)

0520-01-02-.04 LEAVE FOR TEACHERS.

(4) Personal Injury Leave.

March, 2022 (Revised) 4

(Rule 0520-01-02-.04, continued)

0520-01-02-.05 ADULT HIGH SCHOOLS.

March, 2022 (Revised) 5

(Rule 0520-01-02-.05, continued)

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-1-302(a)(4)(A), 49-1-302(a)(11), 49-2-203(b)(3), 49-6-409, and 49-6-

0520-01-02-.06 ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

March, 2022 (Revised) 6

(Rule 0520-01-02-.06, continued)

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-1-302(a)(4)(A), 49-1-302(a)(11), 49-2-203(b)(3), 49-6-409, and 49-6-

0520-01-02-.07 LIBRARY INFORMATION CENTERS.

(1) School Library Information Center.

(2) Library Information Specialists.

March, 2022 (Revised) 7

(Rule 0520-01-02-.07, continued)

(3) Library Information Center Collection.

(a) Item Count.

(b) Collection Compilation.

1. Pamphlets, textbooks, class sets, periodicals, out-of-date items, and items in

March, 2022 (Revised) 8

(Rule 0520-01-02-.07, continued)

5. The collection shall include access to a current, complete encyclopedia in any

6. The collection should include a balance of fiction and nonfiction with an

Basic collection - sixteen (16) years and older;

Standard collection - fifteen (15) years; and

Exemplary collection - fourteen (14) years or less.

(d) Technology - Access to Digital Materials.

2. School libraries should be equipped with instructional technology, including, but

3. Separate computers must be maintained for both the library management

March, 2022 (Revised) 9

(Rule 0520-01-02-.07, continued)

0520-01-02-.08 INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS.

0520-01-02-.09 ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION.

(1) Alternative education is a non-traditional, short-term academic program or school designed to

(3) Alternative program means a short-term intervention program designed to provide

March, 2022 (Revised) 10

(Rule 0520-01-02-.09, continued)

(a) Attendance in an alternative school or alternative program is not mandatory for

(7) Students in pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten shall not be assigned to an alternative school or

(9) Requirements for alternative education:

March, 2022 (Revised) 11

(Rule 0520-01-02-.09, continued)

(j) Each teacher providing instruction to students in an alternative education school or