Expanded Voucher Bill Raises Income Caps, Removes Tuition Limits

Sen. Dolores Gresham chairs the Senate Education Committee. Photo credit Blake Farmer/WPLN

Governor Bill Haslam has some competition on his limited school voucher program. The chair of the Senate Education Committee has introduced a much broader proposal to shift money from public schools to pay private school tuition.

After the first few years, Senator Dolores Gresham would have no limit on how many students in Tennessee could use a voucher, as long as they meet the income qualifications. And instead of roughly $40,000 for a family of four, Gresham wants to bump the income cap to nearly $75,000.

Governor Haslam has warned lawmakers not to mess with his voucher proposal, but Gresham says she shares his goals.

“The governor and I are on the same page. We both believe we should do this. The only difference is to what degree.”

There’s another important distinction. Instead of requiring that the $6,000 voucher be accepted as total payment for tuition, Gresham would allow private schools to charge families in addition to the voucher.

The Senate Education Committee is scheduled to take up Gresham’s expanded voucher proposal next week.