Education, Dept. of - As introduced, extends the school turnaround pilot program for priority schools that is scheduled to conclude at the end of the 2024-2025 school year to a permanent school turnaround program for priority schools to be administered by the department; increases, from five to 15, the maximum number of priority schools that may participate in the school turnaround program. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

HB 877 extends Tennessee's temporary school turnaround program for priority schools (identified as needing intervention) to a permanent program administered by the Department of Education. It increases the maximum number of schools that can participate at any time from five to fifteen, requiring annual selection of up to five schools while ensuring geographic diversity across the state's grand divisions. Participating schools must develop and implement a turnaround plan for up to four years, with annual evaluations against state and federal (ESSA) performance standards. The Department of Education must annually report on the program's effectiveness, comparing outcomes of participating schools with non-participating schools and recommending successful strategies for replication.