Governor Bill Lee unveiled plans to allow families to send their children to private schools with taxpayer dollars to a frequently raucous crowd in the Tennessee House chambers Monday night.
Lee used his annual State of the State address to tout the recently announced Education Freedom Scholarship Act, but protestors in the galley above the House floor frequently interrupted him throughout the address. Some demonstrators brought signs that read “no vouchers.” Opponents frequently refer to the governor’s plan as school vouchers.
Under the plan, Tennessee would offer 20,000 scholarships next school year that provide families with $7,075 to cover private school tuition, fees, uniforms, textbooks, computers, and transportation.
The act is expected to bring some of the most heated debate to the new legislative session and it would build upon the framework of the existing Education Savings Account (ESA) pilot program that’s in place in three counties.
Governor Lee says expanding this concept of using public dollars for private school statewide will help parents place their children in the education environment that’s best for them.
“There are thousands of parents in this state who know their student would thrive in a different setting, but the financial barrier is simply too high. It’s time that we change that. It’s time that parents get to decide – and not the government – where their child goes to school and what they learn,” said Lee. “2024 is the year to make school choice a reality for every Tennessee family.”
The Governor’s plan has faced opposition from Democrats and others who worry the proposal would take money away from traditional public schools.
Senate Democratic Caucus Chair London Lamar, D-Memphis, attacked the plan in advance of the State of the State, calling it a scam.
“Once again, Tennesseans are going to be told they should support a scam that defunds our neighborhood schools to subsidize private school tuition for wealthy families,” said Lamar. “Democrats believe every child deserves the freedom to get a free, high-quality education in a well-funded neighborhood public school. We believe their teachers should be well paid and treated with respect.”
Governor Lee responded to those concerns directly in his address, saying he is a strong supporter of traditional public schools.
“Now some are concerned that more choice for families could mean fewer resources for public schools. That’s simply not true. As a father who sends his child to public schools, a grandfather with grandkids having been in public schools, and a governor who’s visited countless schools across the state, I feel very strongly public schools are invaluable.
The Governor’s address did not touch on what accountability measures will be a part of his proposal. Some lawmakers want students who receive the scholarship to be required to be assessed annually through the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP), like students in the current ESA pilot program.
Governor Lee additionally touted recent investments in education, including the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement and a major teacher raise. Lee said he’s working on a new plan to help school districts retain highly qualified teachers.
The Governor also unveiled plans to protect Tennessee’s musical artists from artificial intelligence, improving rural health, farmland conservation, and implementing permitting reform to help make it easier to build housing.
