Definitions

(1) Certified teacher: A classroom teacher or other educator who is: (a) Licensed by the Tennessee State Board of Education pursuant to its policy; (b) Certified by a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to teach Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps; or (c) Employed as a full-time technology coordinator by any local education agency in Tennessee. (2) Deceased teacher: A person who at the time of their death was a teacher, as defined in this chapter. (3) Eligible student: A child of a teacher, retired teacher, or deceased teacher, as defined in this chapter, under the age of twenty-four (24) who is: (a) The natural child or legally adopted child of the teacher; (b) The stepchild of the teacher living with the teacher in a parent/child relationship, or did so prior to the teacher’s death; or (c) Otherwise eligible and living in a parent/child relationship with the teacher, or did so prior to the teacher’s death, such as a child of deceased parents raised by a grandparent who is, or was, a teacher. (4) Local education agency or LEA: Any county school system, city school system, special school district, or any other local public school system or school district in Tennessee created or authorized by the general assembly. (5) Retired teacher: A teacher, as defined in this chapter, who retired after a minimum of thirty (30) years of full-time creditable service as a teacher in Tennessee public schools, or who received disability retirement after a minimum of twenty-five (25) years of full-time creditable service as a teacher in Tennessee public schools. (6) State institution of higher education or Institution: Any institution operated by the Board of Trustees of the University of Tennessee, the Tennessee Board of Regents, or one of the six (6) state university boards in Tennessee which offers courses of instruction beyond the high school level. (7) Teacher: A certified teacher, as defined in this chapter, who is employed by any LEA or public charter school for service in public elementary or secondary schools in Tennessee on a full- PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION FEE DISCOUNTS FOR CHILDREN CHAPTER 1540-01-12 OF LICENSED PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS time basis, meaning the teacher’s position requires them to be on the job on school days throughout the school year at least the number of hours during which schools in the LEA are in session. (8) Tuition: A fee charged to students enrolled in courses for credit which is calculated based on the number of credit hours for which the student enrolls. Tuition does not include the cost of books or other course materials, dormitory or housing charges, meal plans, application fees, student activity fees, debt service fees, off-campus facilities fees, parking fees, traffic fines, or fees assessed by an institution that directly support the department offering the course such as applied music fees, lab fees, or other course fees.