1. (1) A student participating in the Tennessee Promise Scholarship program shall perform and report community service for each semester the scholarship is received as follows:

   1. (a) Students who begin enrollment in the program prior to the 2026-27 academic year shall:

      1. 1. Perform and report eight (8) hours of community service each semester while participating in the program by the established deadlines; or
      2. 2. Perform and report community service according to the requirements described in subsection (1)(b);
   2. (b) Students who begin enrollment in the 2026-27 academic year and thereafter shall perform and report sixteen (16) hours of community service no later than the established deadline of the first academic year and an additional sixteen (16) hours of community service no later than the established deadline of the second academic year. Hours of community service performed in excess of the required sixteen (16) hours for the first academic year may be carried forward and applied to the hours required for the second academic year.
2. (2) Community service reporting deadlines shall be determined by the TSAC Executive Director and published on TSAC’s website. If the deadline occurs on a weekend or holiday, then the application deadline will be the next business day. It is the responsibility of the student to report community service in a timely manner to ensure it is received by the published deadlines. The TSAC Executive Director is authorized to modify published deadlines for well- documented extraordinary cause, where necessary to protect the public interest.
3. (3) A student who is granted a leave of absence may complete the community service during the leave of absence or in the first academic year following the period for which the leave of absence was granted. Community service performed in the academic year following the leave of absence shall be in addition to any other community service required.
4. (4) Upon completion of the community service, each student shall verify to the Partnering Organization a description of service performed, the date(s) the service was performed, the total hours of service provided, and the name, phone number, and email address of the organization for which the service was provided.

5. (5) Community service generally benefits the community-at-large or its institutions but shall not include:

   1. (a) Service resulting in payment or remuneration of any kind;
   2. (b) Service performed for family members or individual citizens; or
   3. (c) Service performed prior to August 1 of the junior year of high school for students whose enrollment begins in the 2026-27 academic year.
6. (6) Community service may be performed with or under the direction of a faith-based organization, but shall not include religious teaching, proselytizing, or participation in religious services.
7. (7) Unless the student is on an approved leave of absence, failure to complete and report community service by the required deadlines will result in the immediate termination of eligibility for the Tennessee Promise Scholarship.
8. (8) A student who knowingly provides false verification of community service shall be ineligible to receive additional benefits under the Tennessee Promise Scholarship program.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-4-201, 49-4-204, and 49-4-708. Administrative History: Emergency rule filed August 14, 2014; effective through February 10, 2015. Original rule filed August 14, 2014; effective November 12, 2014. Repeal and new rule filed December 19, 2014; effective March 19, 2015. Emergency rule filed August 4, 2015; effective through January 31, 2016. Amendments filed February 9, 2016; effective May 9, 2016. Amendments filed February 22, 2016; effective May 22, 2016. Emergency rules filed February 13, 2017; effective through August 12, 2017. The emergency rules expired on August 13, 2017 and reverted back to their previous status. Amendments filed July 17, 2017; effective October 15, 2017. Amendments filed October 31, 2018; effective January 29, 2019. Amendments filed August 7, 2023; effective November 5, 2023. Rule was previously numbered 1640-01-26-.07 but was renumbered 1640-01-26-.06 with the deletion of rule 1640-01-26-.05 filed November 22, 2024; effective February 20, 2025. Amendments filed April 30, 2025; effective July 29, 2025.