Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly
Tennessee HB1857: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 1; Title 49, Chapter 2; Title 49, Chapter 50 and Title 49, Chapter 6, relative to education.
Status: Chaptered, May 18, 2026
Fiscal Summary NOT SIGNIFICANT Bill Summary During the 2026-2027 school year, and in each school year thereafter, this bill requires each director of schools for an LEA and each director of a public charter school to annually designate for the LEA or public charter school one instructional day each school year to observe the Fourth of July by providing students enrolled in any of the grades K-12 with age- and grade-appropriate instruction on the founding of the United States, the separation of the original 13 colonies from Great Britain, the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the fundamental rights and freedoms enjoyed by American citizens. INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM – GRADE-SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES This bill requires each LEA and public charter school to determine the instructional program and methods used to provide such instruction, including designing and implementing interactive classroom lessons, readings, writing assignments, and discussions, or conducting school assemblies. The instruction provided by an LEA or public charter school on the day of observance of the Fourth of July must accomplish the following grade-specific objectives: Introduce the foundational concepts of American independence to students in grades K-5 to ensure students can explain the meaning of the Fourth of July; identify the United States as an independent nation; describe the basic ideas of freedom and individual rights; and recognize the national symbols of the United States and their connection to American freedom and independence. Emphasize the historical context of the Fourth of July and establish a civic understanding for students in grades 6-8, which may be accomplished through the social studies curriculum, to ensure students can describe the events that led to America gaining its independence from Great Britain; e
What the bill says
From the introduced text:
Conference Committee Report on House Bill No. 1857 / Senate Bill No. 1960 The House and Senate Conference Committee appointed pursuant to motions to resolve the differences between the two houses on House Bill No. 1857 (Senate Bill No. 1960) has met and recommends that the all the amendments be deleted. The Committee further recommends that the following amendment be adopted: by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 10, is amended by adding the following as a new section: (a) The general assembly finds and declares that: (1) The Fourth of July commemorates the founding of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence; (2) It is important for students to understand the historical significance of the Fourth of July and the constitutional foundations and civic principles upon which this great nation was established; and (3) Because the Fourth of July occurs during the summer months when school is not in session, students should receive specialized instruction during the school year on the Fourth of July. (b) Each director of schools for an LEA and each director of a public charter school shall annually ensure that students in any of the grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12) enrolled in the LEA or public …