Applications for Tennessee's new school voucher program to open on May 15
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The application window for Tennessee's new school voucher program opens Thursday, May 15 at noon CT/ 1 p.m. Eastern.
A total of 20,000 scholarships will be available for the upcoming school year to use at more than 200 private schools across Tennessee. The scholarships are made possible by the Education Freedom Act, which state lawmakers passed in January. The scholarships allow a child who attends a public school in grades K-12 to use state funds to attend a private school. The amount available to students is around $7,000.
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'A quality education has the power to change the trajectory of a child's life, and for the first time, families across Tennessee have the opportunity to choose the best school for their child,' said Gov. Lee. 'I'm grateful that the vast majority of eligible schools intend to participate in Education Freedom Scholarships, and I have full confidence in the Department of Education's ability to implement the program.'
Of the scholarship available, 10,000 will be reserved for eligible students based on income, IEA eligibility, or ESA eligibility. The Department of Education released a student application checklist, which provides detailed eligibility requirements. To be eligible, the student must live in Tennessee, be a U.S. citizen or be lawfully in the U.S., have not more than 13 years in school and entering grades K-12 and must be 5 years old by September 30, 2025.
'I appreciate all the families and schools who engaged throughout this implementation phase as we continue to best prepare them for the upcoming application launch on May 15,' said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education.
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According to the Vanderbilt Poll, 8% of parents with public school children said they plan to use the vouchers, while 34% of parents of private school students said they plan to apply for a voucher to help pay tuition.
If the number of applicants exceeds 75% of the vouchers available, the act allows for the number of scholarships to be increased by up to 5,000. To learn more, visit the Education Freedom Scholarship webpage.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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