School vouchers officially signed into TN law: What does it mean?
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It's official and signed into law. School vouchers are here to stay in Tennessee.
The controversial Education Freedom Act is now signed into law, meaning taxpayer dollars will now be used to fund private school scholarships.
What vouchers could mean for private, public schools
On Wednesday, Governor Bill Lee officially made universal school choice a reality here in Tennessee. Now, 20,000 education vouchers of around $7,000 each will be available in the 2025-2026 school year.
Half of those would go to low-income students. Governor Lee says this is a milestone in advancing education statewide.
'Parents know best what their kids need. This will give parents another choice that will allow them to choose what's best for their kids,' Governor Lee said.
Educators meet with lawmakers to discuss effects of school vouchers
Members of the Memphis Shelby County Education Association say the voucher program will divert money away from public schools, sharing that many people may not fully understand the impact this will have.
'When you're pulling all of that money from public education, and then that hurts us. It hurts, you know, us when we're trying to build the infrastructure in schools,' said Dolores Rivers, Memphis Shelby County Education Association.
According to an impact report, Memphis Shelby County Schools stand to lose close to $15 million in the first year, with a steady increase in the following years.
The governor says there is not a definite timeline yet on when families can apply.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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