TN HB1977

Establishes the Tennessee Teacher Residency Program Act, creating a grant program administered by the Department of Education to support teacher residency programs across the state.

Grants of up to $44,500 per teacher resident may be awarded to cover program operating costs, resident stipends, and mentor teacher stipends, with funding capped at 100 teacher residents per academic year.

Residency programs must include at least one full academic year of coursework combined with a concurrent full academic year of classroom apprenticeship under a mentor teacher.

Teacher residents must commit to teaching for a minimum of three consecutive years in a public school or charter school within the partnering LEA or a high-need LEA; failure to complete this requirement triggers stipend reimbursement.

Department of Education must submit biennial reports to legislative committees beginning November 1, 2028, on program outcomes based on data collected from participating residency programs.