Tennessee gubernatorial candidate and state lawmaker Monty Fritts was the only legislator to oppose continuing the Tennessee Department of Education during this week’s sunset hearings at the State Capitol.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon named White as the chair of the National Assessment Governing Board that oversees the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), frequently called the Nation’s Report Card.

The U.S. Senator utilized her appearance at Nashville Collegiate Prep’s high school grand opening to promote her support for removing barriers that organizations face when starting new public charter schools.

In a video posted on his campaign website, Fritts attempted to distance himself from fellow Republican gubernatorial candidates Congressman John Rose and Senator Marsha Blackburn by pledging to oppose what he calls the “Nashville establishment.” 

In an interview with the Tennessee Firefly’s On the Fly podcast, Rose said he’d be open to tweaks to assessments and evaluations, but believes the state should “keep on keeping on” with both systems that polling has shown Republican voters support.

The program, frequently referred to as vouchers, is providing 20 thousand children with tax dollars to pay for private school expenses, and Blackburn says it will be a key part of her education policy if she’s elected governor next year.

By offering a 100 percent dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for donations to private school scholarship organizations, the bill would allow individuals to redirect their tax dollars to educational causes, potentially reshaping Tennessee’s K–12 landscape.

Lawmakers on the Joint Government Operations Committee met Monday to review administration rules for the newly launched Education Freedom Scholarship program and to ask questions about some of the challenges that appeared during its launch.

Governor Bill Lee signed the legislation creating the program in February, allowing up to 20 thousand families to use $7,295 in taxpayer dollars to pay for private school expenses.

Both polls asked voters for their support of key education policies that have been backed this year by Republican leaders, including President Trump and Governor Bill Lee.

The Tennessee Department of Education plans to launch the application portal at 10 P.M. CT according to a news release sent to the Tennessee Firefly.

Senator Todd Gardenhire’s, R-Chattanooga, legislation would expand the Education Savings Account (ESA) pilot program implemented in 2022 to include students in Montgomery, Knox, and Rutherford Counties.

That list includes more than three dozen schools in Shelby County and more than two dozen in Davidson.

The more than $400 million dollar piece of legislation, frequently referred to by opponents as “school vouchers,” will allow up to 20 thousand children across the state to use taxpayer dollars for private school expenses.

The Tennessee State House voted 53 to 45 Thursday afternoon to approve Governor Bill Lee’s plan to let families use taxpayer dollars to send their children to private school.

The legislation comfortably advanced out of the House and Senate Education Committees Tuesday with just two Republicans, joining all Democrats voting against it.

Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, named former teacher, Senator Dawn White, R-Murfreesboro, as chair the Senate Education Committee that’s expected to play a big role in the legislative session and upcoming special session.

After weeks of speculation, Governor Bill Lee officially announced his decision Wednesday morning to call for a special session on January 27 to address his Education Freedom Scholarship Act of 2025 (frequently called vouchers), Hurricane Helene relief for East Tennessee, and illegal immigration.

State Senators re-elected Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, R- Oak Ridge, as Speaker with a 26 to 0 vote and Representative Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, to serve as House Speaker with 75 votes to Democrat nominee Representative Karen Camper’s, D-Memphis, 23 votes.

Tennessee legislators have filed several bills this year that aim to tackle longstanding challenges in education, such as expanding school choice, enhancing student safety, and curbing distractions from cell phones.