[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6415620,"mediaKeyId","2333453-0d0b0618b71b98bedaf2ea36a1ff2587","parentId",2333453,"title","Committee approves March 3 observance honoring Sister Sandra Smithson","audioSeconds",247,"startMs",2271000,"endMs",2518000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333453-0d0b0618b71b98bedaf2ea36a1ff2587&start=2271&end=2518","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333453-0d0b0618b71b98bedaf2ea36a1ff2587/thumbnail_2271000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6415620/Tennessee/Committee-approves-March-3-observance-honoring-Sister-Sandra-Smithson","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6415620-4ef90913aa041bef8f07daf2c00a210f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123988&Signature=ZbXmoHLHIdYOyu3n40Yw6wuvNfqSBVP2mpGq8ayR9uoQtK6dWTRcBQ9D5hayjGnPDv7hmHIUFR29~HdNZ1MpAoyM6~nKHYMZXMQ8AfXefIN2Xq88YTiEkO1OqkrlriJ0BWjr7kOtqcHAf~98Gx2VRQEhOi8q0AtbOpwIN6NHRAstzAbxo1e7QWJ1aOPrWFfnDMrpmYckDaW2f~oaGywrSNb3uQt6QwuDTdmlt8y85QcEPQeyq33NP612nWamd255WlJns0FIiDZ25NATtcjqBPJPYZ2uYJXmvWHTd-aqAPKCoTkKjPjS4OJe3lgGBv~HR-jQJQsgKyoQmVcIt0uiDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","article","The House Education Full Committee approved House Bill 326 to designate March 3 of each year as Sister Sandra Smithson Day in Tennessee. The committee adopted an amendment and advanced the measure on an 18-0 vote.

\"This seeks to designate March 3 each year on Tennessee's calendar as Sister Sandra Smithson Day. It's a day of observance. It's not a legal holiday,\" Representative Bolso, sponsor of the bill, told the committee.

Bolso reviewed Sister Sandra Smithson's life and work, saying she was born in 1926, earned a college degree at Xavier University, pursued graduate study at Fisk University, and ultimately entered religious life with the School Sisters of Saint Francis. Bolso described Smithson's founding of Project Reflect, a nonprofit to assist underprivileged children, and the later founding of Smithson Craighead Academy, which he said was the first charter school in Nashville established under earlier state legislation.

Bolso noted Sister Smithson's decades of work teaching and serving low‑income students in Tennessee and elsewhere, including work in Central America, and said she died on May 13, 2022. \"She has a legacy that is something that I believe we should honor here in the state of Tennessee,\" Bolso said.

After discussion, the clerk reported an 18‑0 vote in favor of the observance. House Bill 326 will proceed through the legislative process as a day of recognition; committee members emphasized the bill establishes an observance rather than a legal holiday.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Education Committee\tFeb 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 326 would designate March 3 as Sister Sandra Smithson Day in Tennessee to recognize her work founding Project Reflect and Smithson Craighead Academy; the committee approved the day of observance 18-0. The measure creates a day of recognition, not a legal holiday.","taxTitle","Education, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Tennessee","taxId",78388,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6415641,"Bill would change comptroller reporting on literacy from annual to every three years",187,2030000,2217000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333453-0d0b0618b71b98bedaf2ea36a1ff2587&start=2030&end=2217","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333453-0d0b0618b71b98bedaf2ea36a1ff2587/thumbnail_2030000.jpg","/articles/6415641/Tennessee/Bill-would-change-comptroller-reporting-on-literacy-from-annual-to-every-three-years","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6415641-3213fc1496ed495bece2c41197eca5a5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123988&Signature=UkNniaQmt-RcoIQjizoMTf2USkPe-JyddpyBDDOzpWqRAQQqOjivEqsGpld-kDD-2YuTMwFckK1VlFuv-n-S6b5uLZsRPwKrVPOvFbXJALWsqERvxh3STEof-XaJS7BCDtVAQuTttcJ6sO4fr6OQvavtIpmpcc06F8PTQu17RidT3fyS57UNk3kOHFOgNa9EA5fgoABvArfRYTYeZC3MISMoPMLk2hkWK61kz9xCX7Rc0-kUFGugZ5wgJGa7IhEf4w5eAuZ1FL9t5HZo6d1AjbNC-weeJI7w7gUya7Q5MUvbSMp4TznGeJRoNEUSrUGckeTxVW8w~jjI3XsD2mVLjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 187, introduced by Representative Mayberry and presented on an unspecified date, would change the reporting frequency for the Literacy Success Act and foundational literacy skills plans. Under current law, the comptroller's Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) reviews these plans annually; the bill would require reviews every three years to allow time for deeper analysis.

\"Current law requires that the comptroller's office of research and education accountability to review the literacy success act and the foundational literacy skills plans and reports in its findings to the general assembly every year. This legislation would change the reporting frequency from every year to every 3 years,\" Mayberry told the committee.

Mayberry said the longer interval would let OREA identify districts where reading proficiencies have improved and permit interviews and surveys to determine which interventions are most effective. Committee members asked clarifying questions about OREA's role and the importance of literacy; Mayberry said the change is designed to allow OREA to undertake a more thorough analysis.

After discussion, the clerk reported an 18-0 committee vote in favor of the bill. House Bill 187 was advanced out of committee.","House Bill 187 would direct the comptroller's Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) to review the Literacy Success Act and foundational literacy skills plans every three years rather than annually to allow more thorough analysis; the committee advanced the bill 18-0.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6415657,"Committee makes LEAD program an optional alternative to DARE in schools",361,1654000,2015000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333453-0d0b0618b71b98bedaf2ea36a1ff2587&start=1654&end=2015","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333453-0d0b0618b71b98bedaf2ea36a1ff2587/thumbnail_1654000.jpg","/articles/6415657/Tennessee/Committee-makes-LEAD-program-an-optional-alternative-to-DARE-in-schools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6415657-fa379ebaac6c13a6b37f2ffa51e340e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123988&Signature=eujOr~AN4c7Pd71ywC-UuXgnoC-cNoDKslFBxTFBrvoj9Rnhi4l63lxYgrjdNjqivZX5CDm9NK3FJZ5DsS12CkZW~ApKIoBGQH9OD613LiMj~8WxP8riie3cYUjd0EbiCVHH3wm6d2XFs5r9Cqx~dag06RLl1J3vjuEQ8DflqK~-L8DL8O7HMJejJkpS9rtQP43qXNlBE8AuXQ1ta~ZsPGk2f~ud8YdU~7siUffY2vLRJS22S7wSbqDxxtxIcuXWBvRzeIzApySNPMu10sud1r~aWN8qP81bE3ziKcFEMmFpvxkK2lIH58qjElfflylMmBpmwb776F0j-DWs9Wiklw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Education Full Committee approved House Bill 382, which allows local education agencies (LEAs) to choose the LEAD drug‑resistance curriculum as an alternative to the DARE program. The committee adopted Amendment 3,393, which rewrote the bill to make participation permissive rather than mandatory, and the measure passed on a 17-1 vote.

\"The amendment makes it optional for an LEA to choose to use the LEA program and doesn't make it mandatory,\" Representative Butler, the sponsor, told the committee as he explained the amendment. Butler described LEAD as a research‑based prevention curriculum with roughly 450 instructors statewide and use in about 45 counties.

Butler told members that LEAD lessons are evidence based and developed by full‑time prevention specialists who update the curriculum to reflect current prevention science and education practices. He said the curriculum emphasizes goal setting, decision making, effective communication, anger management, media literacy, conflict resolution and pro‑social bonding to help students resist substance abuse and negative peer pressure.

Representative Johnson asked how LEAD differs from the DARE program. Butler replied that LEAD is \"evidence based\" and said it offers a more current resistance program. Butler also clarified that LEAD does not replace DARE; it provides an alternative so LEAs can choose one or both programs.

A question about whether the two programs compete for the same funding prompted Butler to say the amendment simply makes selection optional and does not itself allocate new dollars; he noted LEAD is already in use in many counties.

After discussion, the clerk reported the committee vote as 17 ayes and 1 nay. House Bill 382 advances from committee with the amendment.","The committee approved House Bill 382, with an amendment that makes the LEAD (law enforcement against drugs and violence) curriculum an optional alternative for local education agencies rather than mandatory, and advanced the bill 17-1.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6415673,"Committee renews STRONG Act tuition benefit for Tennessee National Guard members",245,1392000,1637000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333453-0d0b0618b71b98bedaf2ea36a1ff2587&start=1392&end=1637","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333453-0d0b0618b71b98bedaf2ea36a1ff2587/thumbnail_1392000.jpg","/articles/6415673/Tennessee/Committee-renews-STRONG-Act-tuition-benefit-for-Tennessee-National-Guard-members","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6415673-90573085111ae01a4dc6f2ae1a4fd0cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123988&Signature=Q2ruFSaN8jg4-YHbKtjj4Un57zK39FzJ7u4mafWiBKf37p0sp2eYVJ84P4-5BgMTC94ETYS543dz-m-lEjrK7FYT2zwJwoSPRI0ZEtzpnuWkFdNfLzI1hsR6utRGaMn~5mgilHNLTgL0bZOUM6WitGNrPeoUTAv5ecmEJ09dfIMBX9kMOXPvdnGF-qtRbmXvJR8Rmsc3cqpqW4f98OKRuwW3xhJX7ttVClkHoBfB4gbU0EdP9EEp4JJGhOj76KwQSxUX3KH~0-KOzt8pWeVtt1~IiN6QsZvWhIpWaWCQ~NtQKxdiiMV9iI06xvQ978L0JJygtg4sZn4tthZY02e0wA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Education Full Committee on an unspecified date approved House Bill 114, renewing the STRONG Act tuition benefit program for Tennessee National Guard members. The committee voted 18-0 to send the bill forward after adopting a clarifying amendment.

The amendment, labeled 3,428, specifies that the Department of Military shall pay 100% of the maximum in‑state tuition as a last‑dollar reimbursement and clarifies the definition of mandatory fees. \"What the amendment did, it just made it very clear in the bill text that the Department of Military shall pay 100% of the maximum resident in state tuition,\" said Representative Moon, the bill's sponsor.

The bill as explained to the committee would extend a program that was set to sunset June 30 of this year, and it has been included in the governor's budget with an approximate allocation of $4,000,000. The bill also increases the credit‑hour cap for a bachelor's degree from 120 to 130, reduces the time a member has to request tuition reimbursement from 90 days to 45 days, and allows the Department of Military to set an annual cap on mandatory fees.

Committee members asked for clarification about the funding source. \"There was a question in my mind if it's at the federal level… But the fact that it comes from the state gives me the clarity I need,\" said President Hakim during the floor discussion.

After debate and the amendment's adoption, the clerk reported an 18‑0 vote in favor of the bill. House Bill 114 moves out of committee with the amendment and will proceed through the legislative process.

The bill's next steps were not specified during the meeting.","The House Education Full Committee added a clarifying amendment and approved House Bill 114 to renew the STRONG Act tuition benefit for Tennessee National Guard members by an 18-0 vote. The amendment makes the Department of Military responsible for last-dollar in-state tuition reimbursement and adjusts eligibility and administrative details.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves March 3 observance honoring Sister Sandra Smithson

Bill would change comptroller reporting on literacy from annual to every three years

Committee makes LEAD program an optional alternative to DARE in schools

Committee renews STRONG Act tuition benefit for Tennessee National Guard members