TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

Bills Impacting Education for Undocumented Children Advance

Posted by: Azya Thornton on Mar 12, 2025

A bill from Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, that would allow school districts to deny education to undocumented children advanced in the House K-12 Subcommittee earlier this month, the Tennessean reports. Educators and students testified against the HB793, noting that immigrant families regardless of status contribute to schools through sales and property taxes. Supporters of the bill argue that school districts should have the ability to deny students due to the cost of educating them, specifically citing expenses for English as a Second Language instruction. In the Senate, Sen. Bo Watson, R-Watson's amended bill, SB836, passed the Education Committee in a 5-4 vote. That version of the bill allows schools to require tuition rather than outright blocking enrollment, but it also would institute broad new requirements on schools to document immigration status. The Senate bill is scheduled to be considered by the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee next week, while the House bill will be before the House Education Committee tomorrow.

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