NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee lawmakers have passed a bill that will require some public virtual schools to shut down if student test scores remain low.
Under the law, school districts must close a virtual school if its students show “significantly below expectations” growth on state testing over multiple years — a measure defined in Tennessee’s education accountability system — or if the school is ranked among the lowest-performing in the state.
The bill passed the Tennessee Senate on March 19, 2026, and cleared the House on April 13, 2026. It now moves to the governor for final approval.
Under the bill, schools that begin to fall behind must notify parents and will be blocked from enrolling new students if performance remains low. Schools that meet specific multi-year performance thresholds must then be closed.
If a school closes, districts cannot withhold student records and will no longer receive state funding for students who leave after the closure.
The state will also publish a list of companies that operated virtual schools that were closed for poor performance.
The changes will begin with school performance data from the 2025–2026 school year.
The measure has drawn concern from some families who rely on virtual learning, with critics arguing that test scores alone do not reflect student success or individual needs.
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