Bill > HB2000

This bill amends Tennessee law to allow private postsecondary institutions, including those with religious affiliations, to establish and operate public charter schools, which are publicly funded schools that operate independently of the traditional public school system. Previously, certain types of entities, like for-profit organizations or nonpublic schools, were not permitted to be "sponsors" (entities that apply to open a charter school), but this bill removes the restriction on private postsecondary institutions. The bill also updates language in the law to refer to "postsecondary institutions" instead of "public higher education institutions" when discussing enrollment preferences, meaning that private colleges and universities can now offer enrollment preferences to children of their employees or governing body members in public charter schools, similar to how public universities could.