Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

Present law provides that all courses that were taught in the 2007-2008 school year under a special course number in any LEA in the state for an elective course consisting of an academic study of the Bible must be an approved curriculum by the department of education. This bill provides, instead, that courses taught in the 2007-2008 school year under a special course number in any LEA consisting of an academic study of the Bible must be an approved course, not curriculum, by the department. REQUIRED WEBSITE POSTINGS Present law provides that all academic courses involving the study of the Bible using a curriculum developed by an LEA that has been approved by the department may be adopted by another LEA without further department approval. Further, the department of education must make available on its website (i) a list identifying each LEA that has developed a Bible course curriculum that has been approved by the department and that is available for adoption by another LEA, (ii) all Bible course curricula developed by LEAs that have been approved by the department and that are available for adoption by another LEA, (iii) the academic standards for a Bible course that have been approved by the state board of education, and (iv) instructions on how an LEA may submit its own Bible course curriculum for approval. This bill replaces the above provisions, providing, instead, that any course for an academic study of the Bible using a curriculum developed by an LEA or a public charter school must be approved by the board of education or the public charter school governing body, and must comply with certain requirements. Further, this bill requires that the department of education must make available on its website (i) a list identifying each LEA or public charter school that offers a Bible course and that has approved curriculum pursuant to this bill and (ii) the academic standards for a Bible course that have been approved by the state board of education. Under this bill, each LEA and public charter school must make available on its website all Bible course curricula, including a list of instructional materials developed by the LEA or public charter school that have been approved by the board of education or public charter school governing body. The state board of education must include in its list of approved high school courses the elective Bible course developed to be approved by the state board of education. The department must notify each LEA and public charter school in writing, no later than July 1 of each year, of the LEA's or public charter school's ability to offer an elective state-funded Bible course consisting of a nonsectarian, nonreligious academic study of the Bible in accordance with this bill, and the ability of each LEA to develop its own Bible course curriculum. COURSE IMPLEMENTATION Present law provides that an LEA that elects to offer a course and utilize an associated textbook or instructional materials approved in accordance with academic standards authorized by the state board must implement the course in accordance with the constitutions of the United States and of this state. This bill adds that an LEA or public charter school that so elects to offer a course as provided above must implement the course in accordance with the constitutions of the United States and of this state. NO MANDATED OR PROHIBITED COURSES Present law does not mandate that an LEA use the curriculum developed for approval by the state board for an academic study of the Bible, or as prohibiting an LEA from adopting its own curriculum for an academic study of the Bible, so long as any academic study of the Bible so offered is approved as a special course according to the rules of the state board of education and in compliance with the constitutions of the United States and of this state. This bill provides, instead, that present law does not mandate an LEA or public charter school, or prohibit an LEA or public charter school, from using or adopting such curriculum developed for approval by the state board, so long as any academic study of the Bible so offered is approved as a special course according to the rules of the state board of education and in compliance with the constitutions of the United States and of this state.