Governor Bill Lee signing the Education Freedom Scholarship (Photo by Bill Lee)¶
Tennessee’s new Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) Program has reserved all 20,000 available seats in its first year, according to a news release from the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE).¶
The program, which began in the 2025-26 school year, received 42,827 applications from families across the state. Scholarships were awarded to students in 86 of Tennessee’s 95 counties, with students enrolling at 220 of 241 eligible non-public schools.¶
Applications Nearly Split Between Income-Based and Universal¶
The program made 10,000 scholarships available for students from income-qualified households and 10,000 scholarships available for students regardless of income. According to state data, applications were nearly evenly split: 21,164 families applied for the income-based scholarships, while 21,663 applied for the universal option.¶
The TDOE says families from 94 counties submitted applications, and the state distributed scholarships on a first-come, first-served basis in accordance with state law.¶
The department says demand for the program was evident within hours of its launch.¶
“The Education Freedom Scholarship Program provides Tennessee families with additional options to find a learning environment that best fits their student’s unique needs,” Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds said in a statement. “I am thrilled with the success and demand demonstrated in the first year.¶
State lawmakers passed the Education Freedom Scholarship Act in a special session in January, and Governor Bill Lee signed it into law the following month.¶
The program, sometimes referred to as vouchers, had long been a goal of Governor Lee. He unsuccessfully attempted to pass it in 2024, but lawmakers failed to work out the differences between each chamber’s plan.¶
Democrats Continue Opposition to Program¶
Democrats, and some Republicans, in the Tennessee General Assembly have opposed the plan from the beginning, arguing it will siphon money away from local school districts.¶
A spokesperson for the Senate Democratic Caucus criticized the Governor’s release of Education Freedom Scholarship participation in an email to the Tennessee Firefly Friday afternoon, saying it provides more questions than answers. The Democratic Caucus took issue with the governor’s press release language that said all 20,000 scholarships were “reserved.”¶
“It’s an odd word choice when a verb like “issued” or “distributed” would make more sense. Is the administration saying that 20,000 families qualified, but not all of them were admitted to a private school,” asked Senate Democratic Caucus Press Secretary Brandon Puttbrese in the email. “We have said for years that vouchers are not ‘school choice’ because it’s the school’s choice. As is the case in every state that has enacted a voucher scam like Lee’s, we know the vast majority of families who received a voucher were already enrolled in private school. And the wording in the release may hint to the fact that many Tennessee families who qualified for a voucher still had their application to a private school rejected.”¶
