TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH A NEW ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS; AND TO REMOVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM SCHOOL RATINGS FOR CERTAIN SCHOOL YEARS.

HB 1598 requires Tennessee's Department of Education to create a new school accountability system for public schools, including open-enrollment charter schools. It exempts all public schools from receiving letter grades or ratings for the 2023-2024 school year. Starting in 2024-2025, schools will receive letter grades under this new system, and schools that fail to maintain their grade may request a review by the Department of Public School Accountability. The bill directly affects all public schools in Tennessee by changing how their performance is evaluated and reported.