Minimum Standards For Directors, Instructors And Classrooms

(1) Directors and Instructors (a) Program Director – The program director of the massage therapy program must be currently licensed in Tennessee as a massage therapist with at least five (5) years experience. The program director must meet all other conditions required by THEC or TBR to be a program director. For purposes of this chapter of rules, the program director is the individual who has direct responsibility for the supervision and daily operations of the massage therapy program or school. (b) Director of Education – The director of education must meet all conditions required by THEC or TBR to be a director of education. If the director of education also functions as the massage therapy program director, he/she must be currently licensed in Tennessee as a massage therapist with at least five (5) years experience. GENERAL RULES GOVERNING MASSAGE THERAPY CHAPTER 0870-02 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS (c) Institution Director – The institution director must meet all conditions required by THEC or TBR to be an institution director. If the institution director also functions as the massage therapy program director, he/she must be currently licensed in Tennessee as a massage therapist with at least five (5) years experience. (d) Instructors – Any persons who instruct must be currently Tennessee licensed professionals in their appropriate profession if such profession requires licensure. Instructors must have at least three (3) years of practical experience within the past seven (7) years in the subject area to be taught. (e) Instructors who are professionally licensed/authorized by any state or certified by any national organization must disclose to the program any prior disciplinary action by such states or national organizations, and the program shall so notify the Board. The Board may deny approval of a program based upon an instructor’s past disciplinary history. (f) The program director shall establish an evaluation system to evaluate the performance of each instructor. (g) The program director shall ensure that staff meetings are held to discuss progress of students, policies and procedures for the school, and changes to the statutes and rules of the Tennessee Massage Licensure Board which will affect the program’s students. (2) Classrooms. Classrooms must be appropriately equipped to promote effective instruction. (a) The classroom size must accommodate the number of students enrolled in the program, and; (b) The classroom must be appropriately equipped to promote effective instruction.