TENNESEE (WGNS) — Tennessee’s Education Freedom Scholarship Program, which uses public money to help families send children to private schools, is at the center of a heated debate as Gov. Bill Lee prepares to propose expanding the statewide voucher initiative in his next budget.
The program, passed in January and rolled out this spring, drew nearly 42,000 applications, but only 20,000 scholarships were awarded in its first year. Lee and lawmakers such as Rep. William Slater (R‑Gallatin) argue expanding the program would give more families a choice and match demand, but opponents contend it weakens public education and diverts taxpayer dollars.
Slater, chair of the House Education Administration Subcommittee, said the vouchers “open doors for a lot of students that otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend a school that is the best fit for them.” He pointed to success stories in his district and polling that shows broad state support for school choice. Slater said the legislature would likely continue funding the expansion through appropriations, which could double the current cost from about $144 million to nearly $288 million if the number of vouchers doubles.
However, critics strongly disagree. Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D‑Nashville) called the program a “voucher scam” that siphons money from public schools that are already underfunded. Clemmons said evidence shows many vouchers go to students already enrolled in private schools, likening the support to “dropping coupons to Tiffany’s over Belle Meade.”
Local parent and education advocate Angela Wynn of Rutherford County said voucher funds are being taken away from public schools and questioned how state funding will backfill essential programs once money is redirected.
The debate has escalated beyond the legislature. A growing coalition of parents and taxpayers has filed lawsuits challenging the voucher program as unconstitutional, arguing it violates the Tennessee Constitution’s mandate to maintain and support a single system of free public schools and diverts critical funding away from those schools.
Plaintiffs represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee and other advocacy groups contend the law not only diverts funds but also allows private schools participating in the program to operate without the same accountability and anti‑discrimination protections as public schools.
Still, supporters like Yadira Calderon, a parent whose daughter with autism benefited from a voucher this year, say the program was her family’s only option for a better‑suited education. “We are one living example, the vouchers work, and the vouchers are needed,” she said.
The window for new applicants to apply for Education Freedom Scholarships opens Jan. 13 with a Jan. 30 deadline for the 2026‑27 school year. Gov. Lee typically releases his proposed budget each February, and the expansion of school vouchers is expected to be a headline issue during the upcoming legislative session.
