testing. >> Okay. Good morning and thank you for attending today's making hearing regarding just a second technical assistance. All right, we're going to test. Okay, that
sounds good. Good morning and thank you for attending today's rulemaking hearing regarding state board rules governing the organization and administration of schools. Today is April 24th, 2026. It is 10:05 a.m. and I will now call this
rulemaking hearing to order. My name is Jamie Formont. As associate counsel for the state board of education and its designated representative, I will be presiding at today's hearing. Information on how to join this
rulemaking hearing, both in person and electronically, was included in the rulemaking hearing notice filed with the Secretary of State's office and posted to the state board's website. Since this hearing is being held both electronically and in person, I want to
remind all attendees who are joining online to please keep yourself muted unless asked to unmute. This will minimize any audio feedback and ensure that the speaker can be heard. If you are here in person, I will also
ask that you remain quiet so that the online attendees can hear and be heard. Any attempts to disrupt this hearing will result will result in removal from the hearing either electronically or in person. A redline version of the rules under consideration at this hearing are
available both here in person and on the state board's website under the link for today's meeting. This hearing is also being recorded and will be provided to the state board members for their review. Moving into the rules that are subject for subject of this hearing. This
rulemaking hearing is the opportunity for the state board of education to gather public feedback regarding school and student health service rule chapter 0520- 01-13 educator preparation clinical
experiences rule 0520- 02- 04-10 and standards for school administer administered child care program rule chapter 0520-12-01. I will begin with a summary of each
proposed rule revision. First is school and student health services rule chapter 0520-01-13. Chapter 346 of the public acts of 2025 codified in TCA section 49-50-60005 encourages each school in a local
education agency and public charter school to keep a rescue inhaler to administer to a student believed to have asthma symptoms or in respir respiratory distress. This proposed item is a creates a new rule outlining protocols
for the administration of such a rescue inhaler at a public school. Next is educator preparation clinical experience rule 0520- 02- 04-10.
This rule outlines the requirements and approval process for education preparation providers and specialty area programs for birth kindergarten endorsements. This item proposes to allow the following programs to serve as a clinical practice site provided they
meet quality standards set forth by the Tennessee Department of Education and the Department of Health Services. Those programs include public school administered early childhood education programs, programs operated by private
schools as defined by statute, child care provided by church affiliated schools as defined by statute, state approved Montasauri schools and child care providing in f provided in federally regulated programs including
title one preschools, head start and even start programs. Additionally, this item proposes to de delineate school-based clinical requirements between public and
non-public settings. Next is standards for school administ administered child care program rule chapter 0520-12-01. This rule chapter covers school administered child care programs run by public or private schools for children
ages 6 weeks to 5 years old as well as before and after afterchool programs for K through 12 children. This pro this item proposes a comprehensive update in response to feedback from program directors and
teachers. The changes include reclassifying the rule as a state board rule as opposed to a rule of the commissioner, updating requirements for ratios and group sizes for specific populations, updating requirements for physical
activity, updating requirements for staff training, and further revisions to streamline rules and move reporting and recordkeeping recommendations to guidance documents created by the Tennessee Department of Education. The final item on today's agenda,
excuse me. The final item on today's rule making hearing is an item to repeal chapter rule chapter0520-12-01 for standards for school administered child care program. As explained in the
previous item, the standards for school administered child care program chapter is being reclassified as a state board rule. Accordingly, this item repeals the former chapter so that the previous item may be refiled in its place.
With those brief explanations, I will now move into public comments regarding the proposed rules. Please note that rulemaking hearings are an opportunity for the state board to collect feedback on the proposed rule language to inform potential revisions and is not a
question answer session. During the public comment portion of this hearing, please state your name and organization you are affiliated with, if any, before making your comment. Each person who wishes to speak will be allotted three minutes.
Um, so we have one person who has joined us in person and I'm going to look now to see if we have any people who've joined us online and we do not. So we have one um public
comment to be made and that is Miss Aries Bryant. Hello, I'm Aries Bryant. I am a civilian of the community. I want to say poverty is often misunderstood as lacking money. Poverty is
multi-dimensional deprivation. Poverty creates low emotional vocabulary, survival nervous system, no conflict resolution, limited exposure, early adultification, scarcity mindset, malnourished identity, normalized
toxicity in relationships, no boundaries, no legacy thinking or future planning, just to name a few. But education is a ladder from poverty. We know that private school is seldomly available to children through grants and
programs such as EFS because the priority sequence puts no precedence to those lacking financial ability. Over 50,000 applicants wanting higher education but attributing as a tax cut to the wealthy whose children are already in private school. My financial
shortcomings cannot limit my children's access to education. The issues that are going on within the public school system has festered and grown because we are not speaking up for our children. There is more protection outside the perimeter
of schools but less within. The issues have developed and evolved into a standard. The issue is not the understaffed and underpaid teachers who are working directly with the children but the culture. We are being reactive instead of proactive. Creating solutions
prior to tragedies in is counterproductive when we can help the children. Now I can control my household but it is you all's responsibility to serve the schools. Diplomacy is less important than the truth. People are
just casualties until they are your children. Thank you all for the opportunity to speak on behalf of my community. Thank you. Thank you for your comment, Miss Bryant. Before I adjourn, I want to make a few
final reminders. It is anticipated that the board will vote on final reading of these rules at its quarterly meeting on May 19, 2026. Specific details about that meeting agenda and how to attend or watch the meeting online will be posted
to the state board's website under the meetings page. If the board approves these rules on final reading, they will be sent to the Attorney General's office for approval, be published with the Secretary of State for 90 days, and go before the Joint Government Operations
Committee to the Tennessee House and Senate. The State Board of Education appreciates everyone who took time out of their day to attend today's hearing. And with no further business on the agenda, this hearing is adjourned. Thank you.