Bill > HB1975

This bill, known as the "Tennessee Career Readiness Enhancement Act," mandates that by the 2026-2027 school year, all public high schools must integrate "career readiness tools" into at least one career and technical education (CTE) course for eleventh and twelfth graders. These tools are defined as digital platforms and assessments that help students explore careers based on their interests and local job market data, earn nationally recognized credentials in essential soft skills, employability skills, and digital literacy, and connect with work-based learning opportunities, which are structured experiences linking classroom learning to real-world work. Students who earn these credentials can receive elective credits towards graduation, with a maximum of three credits, and may also be eligible for a $100 stipend if they earn three stackable credentials. The bill also requires the Department of Education to provide training for educators and counselors on using these tools and to establish a pilot program involving at least ten school districts to gather feedback from businesses on the relevance of the earned credentials to workforce needs, with a report due to the General Assembly by July 1, 2029. Furthermore, the Department will be responsible for collecting and reporting data on student credential attainment annually, starting in July 2027.

Education

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1975&ga=114