Tennessee school visitor management law

What does the Tennessee law require?

Each covered school "shall ensure that all exterior doors leading into a school building are locked at all times." Access is limited to the primary entrance, unless school policy decides otherwise, to keep out unauthorized people while students are present during the school day. The rule also applies when students are present outside regular school hours for school-related activities. Outside regular hours, a school may unlock its primary entrance for a school-related event, if a school or LEA employee stays physically at the door the whole time.

Who is covered?

Public schools run by an LEA (a school district), public charter schools, private schools and church-related schools.

What happens when a door is found unlocked?

State and local law enforcement may inspect district and public charter school doors to check that they are locked. If an officer finds one unlocked, the school must lock it right away, and the agency must send written notice within 24 hours. Written confirmation that the door was locked must go back to the agency within 48 hours of its notice. The penalty section can also require a school resource officer (SRO) or armed school security officer to be posted at the school within 30 days. A third violation in one year costs 2% of the school's annual state TISA funds (the state funding formula), rising to 10% for a seventh.

What do building standards require?

Section 49-6-818 sets building standards that include a lock on each classroom door that works from the inside. They include at least one secure vestibule with two separate sets of doors as the primary entrance. Each set must lock separately, so no one gets in until a school or LEA employee lets them in. They also include a camera system that watches each entrance, hallway and shared area during school hours. Each LEA and public charter school must also send the Department of Safety a yearly security self-assessment for each school.

When did it take effect?

HB 322 became Public Chapter 367, which took effect July 1, 2023. A 2026 law created a safe school design advisory board to recommend design guidelines, covering access, control and visibility, that LEAs and charter schools can consider when building or remodeling. The guidelines are due by January 1, 2027.

How can schools pay for it?

The 2023 budget gave $20,000,000 in one-time school safety grants, plus $7,000,000 for non-public schools. The Department of Education reports one-time school safety grant money of $20 million in the 2025-26 budget and $10 million in 2026-27. The grants are allocated by enrollment (Average Daily Membership), with no local match. The Department reports that 12% of districts used the grant for visitor management.