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
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