Tennessee education office left in Limbo

After winning $500 million for schools statewide, the Tennessee Department of Education got an unusual thanks: It will be shut down in one year unless lawmakers vote otherwise.

But the news wasn't a surprise to state education officials, who say they're not planning to go anywhere once the one-year sunset period begins on June 30.

"I can assure you that we're not all vacating our offices next week," said Amanda Anderson, spokeswoman for the department. "Nobody wants to dissolve the Department of Education."

As it turns out, a department review by the state comptroller's office wasn't finished before the end of the legislative session, so lawmakers couldn't vote on whether the education department needed to be renewed, restructured or abolished.

State Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, chairman of the Government Operations Committee, said the decision had nothing to do with the performance of the department.

"The decision was to allow the department to go into a wind-down period, but we'll have a hearing for them later this summer," he said. "This was a thought-out strategy."

A similar hold-up also delayed a review of the state board of education, so it, too, will enter the same sunset period at the end of the month.

The state board of education governs and sets policy for Tennessee's public elementary and secondary schools. The Tennessee Department of Education is responsible for implementing those policies and adminstration duties.

State departments and boards usually are reviewed every two to six years, Sen. Watson said.

About 20 government entities will enter the sunset period on June 30, he said, mostly because the House and the Senate were unable to agree on language regarding the composition of the boards and how they're selected.

Four organizations were terminated, and Sen. Watson said his committee was "looking very closely at the Alcoholic Beverage Commission."

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