The Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) program is entirely funded by state dollars, which are public funds. It should have to adhere to the same degree of accountability and transparency as other public services that receive public funds.
Introduced in 2025, this bill was openly discussed by both sponsors as a vehicle to overturn the Plyler v. Doe precedent, which guarantees all children living in the United States access to free public education regardless of immigration status. Advocacy by thousands of Tennesseans halted the bill’s progress in 2025, but sponsors are bringing it back in 2026. The version passed by the Senate and the version debated in the House differ from one another in significant ways, and the two chambers will have to agree on one version of the bill for it to pass. The bill must also be signed into law by Governor Lee.
The Tennessee General Assembly is considering multiple bills that [...]
In the 114th General Assembly, Tennessee lawmakers have filed two bills designed to challenge a constitutional and long-standing legal precedent that guarantees all children living in the United States access to free public school, regardless of documentation status.
On January 13, 2026, the 114th General Assembly will kick off its second and final year. Tennessee’s legislative sessions are two years long, and during the second year of each session, bills that have not failed, been withdrawn, or been passed are still alive and able to move through the committee process to a vote and enactment. Here are bills we are still watching with interest.
2026 Bill Tracker
The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) has indicated an interest in making changes to Tennessee's accountability systems switching from two, parallel accountability systems to a single system (letter grade).
