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Public Dollars Should Fund Public Schools Exclusively

The History and Harm of Vouchers in Tennessee

Public schools open their doors to every child, offering a shared foundation and a fair opportunity for all. They aren’t perfect, but abandoning them doesn’t serve students.

Here, we break down the history of vouchers in Tennessee and the current landscape as advocates work to keep public funds in public schools.

Partner Resources

The Education Freedom Scholarship Act and Private Schools in Tennessee
The Sycamore Institute

Voucher Worksheet: Discussion Guide, Ed Trust
Tennessee, 2024

Unpacking Tennessee’s Education Savings Account/Voucher Program
Nashville Public Education Foundation, 2024

 

What We Know about the Impact of School Vouchers
Nashville Public Education Foundation, 2024

 

Do school vouchers work? Here’s what research really says
Chalkbeat, 2023

 

School Vouchers: Myth vs. Fact
Georgia Budget & Policy Institute, 2021

 

The Impacts of Universal ESA Vouchers: Arizona’s Cautionary Tale
SOS Arizona Network, 2023

Timeline

March 2026

HB 1889/SB 1978 Why Tennessee’s Voucher Program Can’t Be Exempt from Transparency

HB 2532/SB 2247 Seeks to Expand Vouchers and Opt Tennessee into the Federal Voucher Program

January 2026

 

action

The TN Comptroller of the Treasury releases the first evaluation report of the Education Savings Account program.

response

    • The report shows vouchers are underutilized; private school tuition exceeds voucher award on average; voucher recipient school’s TCAP scores consistently remain below public school peers and the state average; and high parent satisfaction with the program but a decreasing response rate to satisfaction survey inquiries.

Spring 2026

The General Assembly will consider legislation to make changes to Tennessee’s existing voucher programs

November 2025

 

 

action

Tennessee parents sue Gov. Bill Lee to block state voucher program

October 2025

 

action

House Speaker expresses interest in doubling EFS voucher program from 20k to 40k

response

response

September 2025

 

 

action

Education Freedom Scholarship program is implemented with all 20,000 vouchers awarded

May 2025

action

The Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship program begins 
accepting applications

response

February 2025

 

action

The Education Freedom Scholarship voucher program is signed into law by Governor Bill Lee

response

January 2025

action

Gov. Lee Calls a Special Session in an attempt to pass the EFS voucher program

response

event

action

Universal voucher program passes during the special session, marking a major change in the state’s education landscape

April 2024

 

action

The Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) Act of 2024 does not pass during the 2024 legislative session

response

January 2024

 

action

Rep. William Lamberth and Senator Jack Johnson filed HB2468/SB2787, to enact a statewide voucher program. The House and Senate versions of the bill differed from one another in significant ways

response

event

November 2023

 

action

Gov Lee announces his administration’s top legislative priority – the Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) Act of 2024 – establishing a statewide voucher program

October 2023

The Tennessee Department of Education releases the first required annual report on the Education Savings Account program. The report details lower academic performance from voucher recipients than their public school peers and high parent satisfaction with the program.

April 2023

The Tennessee General Assembly expands the Education Savings Account voucher program to Hamilton County in addition to Davidson and Shelby counties.

August 2022

Tennessee’s Education Savings Account voucher program is implemented for the first time.

May 2022

The Tennessee Supreme Court rules that the Education Savings Account program is not unconstitutional and can be implemented.

May 2020

A Nashville judge rules the Education Savings Account program is unconstitutional and halts its implementation.

February 2020

The governments of Metro Nashville and Shelby County sue Tennessee over the Education Savings Account program, stating their counties are unfairly targeted by the legislation.

May 2019

The Tennessee General Assembly passes an Education Savings Account voucher program, which is income-limited and serves only students eligible to attend public school in Davidson and Shelby counties.