TEA Legislative Achievements

TEA Legislative Achievements

  • 1945  First Teacher Retirement law enacted
  • 1947  Sick Leave law enacted
  • 1951  Teacher Tenure law enacted
  • 1957  Social Security authorized for teachers
  • 1965  First state-supported pilot kindergarten program approved
  • 1971  Personal/Professional Leave Days mandated
  • 1973  Comprehensive Vocational Education Program launched
  • 1978  Professional Negotiations Act passed
  • 1979  K-3 Class Size maximum reduced to 25 students
  • 1981  Sick Leave Bank authorized
  • 1985  State Health Insurance Plan for teachers enforced
  • 1985  Duty-free Lunch mandated
  • 1986  Sixty minutes per week planning time for K-8 teachers mandated
  • 1990  Tuition reduction for children of public school teachers
  • 1992  Class size reduced due to the Education Improvement Act
  • 1992  Kindergarten mandated
  • 1996  Teachers protected from performing medical procedures
  • 1997  Retirement benefits improved with compounded COLA
  • 1998  Health Insurance benefit gained for retired teachers
  • 1999  Privacy protected for educators’ Social Security, drivers’ license and bank information
  • 2001 Special Education class size reduced
  • 2002 “Working Conditions” clarified under PN law
  • 2003 One member of Tennessee State Board of Education required to be a K-12 teacher
  • 2005 $25 million in lottery funds earmarked for pre-kindergarten expansion
  • 2006 $250 million NEW dollars appropriated for Pre-K and K-12 programs
  • 2008 60, 80, 90 Campaign stresses impact of adequate salaries, insurance and retirement on teacher quality
  • 2010 TEA strengthens Tenure Law by requiring professional hearing officers
  • 2012 Teacher evaluations are not public record
  • 2013 Teacher’s Choice on reassignment after a “reduction in force”
  • 2014 Licensure decisions not based on TVAAS data
  • 2015 Added $127 million recurring funds for salary and benefits
  • 2016 Standardized test transparency for teachers and parents
  • 2017 Private school vouchers defeated for the fifth straight year
  • 2018 Teachers held harmless from TNReady and K/Pre-K portfolios.
  • 1945  First Teacher Retirement law enacted
  • 1947  Sick Leave law enacted
  • 1951  Teacher Tenure law enacted
  • 1957  Social Security authorized for teachers
  • 1965  First state-supported pilot kindergarten program approved
  • 1971  Personal/Professional Leave Days mandated
  • 1973  Comprehensive Vocational Education Program launched
  • 1978  Professional Negotiations Act passed
  • 1979  K-3 Class Size maximum reduced to 25 students
  • 1981  Sick Leave Bank authorized
  • 1985  State Health Insurance Plan for teachers enforced
  • 1985  Duty-free Lunch mandated
  • 1986  Sixty minutes per week planning time for K-8 teachers mandated
  • 1990  Tuition reduction for children of public school teachers
  • 1992  Class size reduced due to the Education Improvement Act
  • 1992  Kindergarten mandated
  • 1996  Teachers protected from performing medical procedures
  • 1997  Retirement benefits improved with compounded COLA
  • 1998  Health Insurance benefit gained for retired teachers
  • 1999  Privacy protected for educators’ Social Security, drivers’ license and bank information
  • 2001 Special Education class size reduced
  • 2002 “Working Conditions” clarified under PN law
  • 2003 One member of Tennessee State Board of Education required to be a K-12 teacher
  • 2005 $25 million in lottery funds earmarked for pre-kindergarten expansion
  • 2006 $250 million NEW dollars appropriated for Pre-K and K-12 programs
  • 2008 60, 80, 90 Campaign stresses impact of adequate salaries, insurance and retirement on teacher quality
  • 2010 TEA strengthens Tenure Law by requiring professional hearing officers
  • 2012 Teacher evaluations are not public record
  • 2013 Teacher’s Choice on reassignment after a “reduction in force”
  • 2014 Licensure decisions not based on TVAAS data
  • 2015 Added $127 million recurring funds for salary and benefits
  • 2016 Standardized test transparency for teachers and parents
  • 2017 Private school vouchers defeated for the fifth straight year
  • 2018 Teachers held harmless from TNReady and K/Pre-K portfolios.