Students across Tennessee can now apply for the expanded school voucher program

Families across Tennessee can now use public money for private school education. Applications for the state’s school voucher program open today.

Tennessee families submitted over 33,000 applications within the first few hours the program opened. The controversial voucher program — called Education Freedom Scholarships — offers 20,000 vouchers to K-12 students for the upcoming school year. Half are reserved for low-income students, students with disabilities and those already eligible for the Education Savings Account program — the previous voucher pilot program.

The pilot program was limited to low- and middle-income students in Davidson, Shelby and Hamilton counties. This January, lawmakers narrowly voted to expand the program statewide. A similar measure failed last year.

Lee announced the beginning of the program on social media. 

“Tennessee’s first-ever universal school choice program, which will empower parents in every community to choose the right school for their child,” he said in a video. 

The award amount is a little over $7,000 annually, and the money can be used at more than 200 private schools across the state. The money will go directly from the state to the private school and will cover costs like tuition, classroom supplies, textbooks, and tutoring services.

Lee referred to his voucher program as “life-changing” but not everyone thinks these changes are for the better. Critics insist that vouchers don’t cover the costs of attending private school and could become a “discount for the wealthy.” A state review found that two-thirds of the families expected to get these funds are already enrolled in private schools.

Some school district leaders asked lawmakers not to expand the program because it disproportionately impacts rural school districts that don’t have many private school alternatives and act as large employers for their counties. Advocates for students with disabilities worry the program won’t protect students from being treated poorly or turned away by private schools.

Another concern is that universal voucher programs can hurt public schools by taking money away from them. Lee said schools will not lose funding due to disenrollment and public school teachers will get a $2,000 bonus as part of the program.

Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, 5,000 more vouchers will be added each year after 75% of the vouchers are used.

Update: This story was updated Friday with figures about applications on the first day of eligibility.