The State Board of Education met at Northeast State and approved a wide range of rules and policies covering licensure, evaluation, health standards, charter processes, and instructional materials.

Board members voted to accept the consent agenda and approve a long series of items on either first or final reading, including revisions to educator licensure rules aligning with Public Acts (adding a limited occupational teaching license), updates to educator evaluation policy 5.201, and the department's professional assessments policy 5.105. The board also approved updates to coordinated school health policy 4.204 and a physical education and physical activity policy that raises minimum elementary physical-activity requirements in state law.

Several education-administration items moved through the rulemaking process. Christy Ballard, general counsel for the Department of Education, explained changes to organization and administration rules to mirror a recent law clarifying use and documentation of "stockpile" (stock all) days; the board approved the organization/administration rule on first reading. The board also approved changes to course access program rules removing several reporting requirements that the legislature repealed because district interest in the program has been minimal.

On teacher-licensing topics, the board approved an expanded set of assessment options for licensure endorsements and accepted revisions that permit additional endorsement combinations and add new limited-license pathways. The board also approved a change to substitute-teacher rules that raises the maximum number of consecutive days a substitute may serve without a license from 20 to 30, bringing the rule into alignment with recent legislation.

The board adopted the State Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission's final Schedule E list (CTE/health/advanced manufacturing, etc.). Lee Houston, executive director of the commission, told the board the commission voted 8-0 to recommend the list after panel review and appeals; the State Board approved the final adoption.

Most items passed with limited debate. When members raised practical questions ' for example, about scheduling the extra elementary activity minutes or ensuring alignment between new assessments and state standards ' department staff described planned follow-up steps and monitoring. The meeting closed with the board approving several accountability-related designations (reward, priority, exemplary, and in-need lists) and adjourned.

The board said it will continue implementation and monitoring work through staff and standing committees; the next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 27 in Nashville.