Tennessee school vouchers: Half of applicants request scholarships with income cap

Yahoo

20-05-2025

Roughly half of those who have applied for Tennessee's taxpayer-funded school vouchers to offset private K-12 school costs put in for scholarships with income limits, according to the Tennessee Department of Education.
As of May 19, more than 38,000 people applied for the newly launched vouchers, known as Education Freedom Scholarships, just four days after applications opened, a news release from the department stated. The program marks a statewide expansion to Tennessee's controversial school vouchers and offers 20,000 scholarships worth $7,295 for the 2025-26 school year.
The first 10,000 are reserved for families who fall below an income threshold, have children with disabilities or received vouchers under Tennessee's previous program. The remaining 10,000 are open to all eligible students, regardless of income.
The department said it received 18,852 applications for qualified income scholarships and 19,308 for universal scholarships as of May 19. It was not immediately clear if any applicants have been approved, including those who applied for the income-restricted scholarships.
"The demand for universal school choice in Tennessee is strong, and families are embracing the freedom they have been provided through the Education Freedom Scholarship Program," Tennessee Commissioner of Education Lizzette Reynolds said in the release. "All students deserve the ability to access a learning environment that best fits their unique needs."
The applicants so far span 300 zip codes, the release said. An average of 2,935 applications were submitted per grade level from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Applications were still open as of May 20. They will be approved in the order they are received, but it will take some time for the department to process, approve and award the 20,000 vouchers, the release said. A waiting list will be established if additional scholarships become available. Applicants will receive updates from the email address [e-mail].
More: TN private school voucher program gets over 33K applications for 20K spots within hours of opening
As applications launched last week, parents reported mixed results on wait times, with some who were in the queue for hours as estimated wait times fluctuated wildly. Others were able to get through in a matter of minutes. Some said they received confirmation emails with the wrong child's name, but later received updates with the correct information. The department said it tested its website and system thoroughly to handle a large influx of traffic ahead of opening applications.
It was not immediately clear when applications will close. Applications and more information can be found at TN.gov/education/EFS.
Rachel Wegner covers education and children's issues for The Tennessean. Got a story you think she should hear? Reach her via email at [e-mail]. You can also find her on Twitter or Bluesky under the handle @RachelAnnWegner.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee school vouchers: How many listed income restrictions