TN HB1849

Counties and municipalities may establish an elected superintendent of schools position by majority vote of the local legislative body, replacing the current appointed director of schools system

Candidates for elected superintendent must hold a teacher's professional license with principal/supervisor endorsement, a master's degree, and at least 5 years of combined teaching and administrative experience

Elected superintendents serve 4-year terms and are chosen during the August general election

Existing appointed directors' contracts must be honored; local governments are responsible for satisfying contractual obligations if elections occur before contracts expire

Effective July 1, 2026