New school voucher bill filed in Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Governor Bill Lee announced Wednesday Tennessee leaders have launched legislation to introduce the latest school voucher program for the Volunteer state.

House Bill 1/Senate Bill 1 was filed by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland. The previous school voucher proposal failed after the House and Senate were unable to negotiate on certain stipulations.

In Nov. 2023, Gov. Lee unveiled his proposal to expand school vouchers. The proposal aimed to expand the voucher program to all 95 counties in Tennessee, allowing tax money to cover the tuition of a student going to a private school.

Click here to read the full proposal.

According to a release, the Education Freedom Act of 2025 includes:

• 20,000 scholarships for Tennessee students starting in the 2025-26 school year
• 10,000 reserved for students at or below 300% of income qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, have a disability, or are eligible for the existing ESA program
• Ensures state funding to school districts will never decrease due to disenrollment
• Scholarship amounts equal to the per pupil base funds allocated to public school students each year – $7,075 as of the most recent school year
• Funds will be deposited into an account to be used for tuition, fees and other qualified education expenses
• 350+ private schools eligible to voluntarily receive Education Freedom Scholarships as Category I-III schools
• Schools will maintain their independence and educational freedom, preventing unnecessary government overreach while expanding school choice for families
• 5,000 additional scholarships with universal eligibility added each year after 75% of total scholarships are taken in the prior year to ensure controlled, fiscally responsible program growth

“For more than a year, I have worked in partnership with the General Assembly to introduce a unified school choice plan that empowers parents when it comes to their child’s education and further invests in Tennessee’s public schools and teachers,” said Gov. Bill Lee in a release. “Every child deserves an opportunity for success regardless of their income or ZIP code, and I look forward to delivering on this promise with the Education Freedom Act.”

New features of the proposal include a $2,000 bonus for every teacher in the state plus a portion of all sports wagering dollars dedicated to building and maintaining K-12 public school facilities.

The 114th Tennessee General Assembly is scheduled to convene on Jan. 14, 2025.