Tennessee § 4-3-308 - Office of research and education accountability.

§ 4-3-308. Office of research and education accountability.

There is established within the office of the comptroller of the treasury an office of research and education accountability, which shall conduct research, analyses, evaluations, and other projects as may be assigned to it by the general assembly or the comptroller, or that the office may determine to be necessary to inform discussions and decisions in the general assembly. The office of research and education accountability shall be accorded access to and may examine any information, records, books, data, or reports maintained by any agency of this state, whether or not the information is subject to public inspection. Each agency shall fully cooperate with the office of research and education accountability in providing such access in the performance of the duties of the office. The office of research and education accountability shall maintain inviolate any privileged or confidential information so acquired and any record or writing so defined by law. The office of research and education accountability shall report its findings annually to the general assembly. As used in this section, “agency” means: Any department, board, commission, institution, office, or agency of state government; and Any county, county having a metropolitan government, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state, including any school district, school system, or special school district, and the state board of education acting on behalf of any special school listed in § 49-50-1001. Acts 1992, ch. 535, § 47; 2016, ch. 684, § 1. Compiler's Notes. For codification of the Education Improvement Act, Acts 1992, ch. 535, see the Session Law Disposition Table in Volume 13. Amendments. The 2016 amendment rewrote the section which read, “(a) There is hereby established within the office of the comptroller of the treasury an office of education accountability, which shall monitor the performance of school boards, directors of schools, school districts, schools, and school personnel in accordance with the performance standards set out in the Education Improvement Act or by regulations of the state board of education.“(b) The office of education accountability shall be provided with information generated through the management information system provided for in § 49-1-209 , information gathered for the annual report provided for in § 49-1-211 , or any other information that it may require.“(c) The office of education accountability shall conduct such studies, analyses, or audits as it may determine to be necessary to evaluate education performance and progress, or as may be assigned to it by the governor or general assembly.“(d) The office of education accountability shall report its findings annually to the governor and the general assembly.” Effective Dates. Acts 2016, ch. 684, § 11. March 24, 2016. Cross-References. Reporting requirement satisfied by notice to general assembly members of publication of report, § 3-1-114 .