Tennessee teachers looking for the $2,000 bonus that is part of the bill that created Education Freedom Scholarships could see it in the next two months.
Read the full storyTag: School Choice
Commentary: The Persistent Presence of Absence
The fact that many children are ditching America’s public schools is undeniable. Most recently, Nat Malkus, Deputy Director of Education Policy at the American Enterprise Institute, reported that while chronic absenteeism spiked during the COVID pandemic, it remains a serious problem. In 2024, rates were 57% higher than they were before the pandemic. (Students who miss at least 10% of the school year, or roughly 18 days, are considered chronically absent.)
Malkus goes on to explain that in 2018 and 2019, about 15% of K–12 public school students in the U.S. were chronically absent—a number so high that numerous observers and the U.S. Department of Education are labeling it a “crisis.”
Read the full storyCommentary: Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Legislation Is Advancing
In mid-May, the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee passed a major GOP tax bill, which contains the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), and it now heads to the House floor.
ECCA would provide financial assistance to families in all 50 states that have incomes less than three times their “area’s median income.” Eligible parents could use the funds for a wide range of education-related expenses, including private and parochial school tuition, books and other instructional materials, online classes, private tutoring, and educational therapies for students with disabilities provided by a licensed or accredited practitioner or provider. Homeschooling parents would also be covered. Hence, parents can use the scholarships to provide their children with an education that they believe best suits their needs.
Read the full storySecretary Linda McMahon: Federal Education Grants to Prioritize Reading, Choice, and State Leadership
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon is proposing that the first three priorities for discretionary grant programs administered by the federal education department under the Trump administration should promote evidence-based literacy, expanding education choice, and returning education to the states.
The Department of Education’s discretionary grant programs are federal grants awarded at the Department’s discretion rather than through mandatory funding, allowing the administration to “align discretionary grant competitions with its priorities.”
Read the full storyTennessee Education Freedom Plan Saw More Applications than Available Scholarships Within Hours of Launch
Governor Bill Lee announced on Thursday that the state received more than 33,000 applications for Tennessee Education Freedom scholarships, with the interest in the universal school choice option dwarfing the 20,000 scholarships created by lawmakers earlier this year.
The governor revealed in a post to the social media platform X that the Tennessee Department of Education saw “more than 33,000 applications” for scholarships “within hours of the program’s successful launch.”
Read the full storyCommentary: The Good, the Bad, and the Controversial in School Choice Reform
by Larry Sand The Good A new study published by the Urban Institute reveals that students who attend private schools through a school choice program are more likely to graduate from college. The report, The Effects of Ohio’s EdChoice Voucher Program on College Enrollment and Graduation, joins a growing list of empirical studies that demonstrate school choice improves academic outcomes, increases parental satisfaction, and saves taxpayer money. EdChoice students were more likely to enroll in college than students who remained in public school by a 64% to 48% margin. Additionally, enrollment for EdChoice students at a four-year college outpaced their public school counterparts: 45% to 30%. Longer participation in the program yielded even greater benefits—students who remained there for at least four years were 44% more likely to enroll in college than their public school peers. Groups that benefited most from EdChoice were blacks, boys, students who experienced long-term childhood poverty, and students with below-median test scores before leaving public school. The college enrollment rate among black scholarship recipients increased by 18%, compared to 13% for white students. Students who spent more than three-quarters of their lives in poverty saw their rate of college attendance increase by 17%, seven points higher than students from less impoverished backgrounds. In other…
Read the full storyState Superintendent of Schools Tom Horne Adds Limits to Popular ESA Program, Kicks Homeschooling Mom Off Committee for Exposing It
State Superintendent of Schools Tom Horne is coming under fire for gutting some of the state’s nationally renowned Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs), considered one of the best ESA programs in the country since all students — including those in private schools, microschools, Christian schools, and homeschoolers — are eligible. After his ESA handbook committee drafted guidelines, his administration changed their draft to limit certain expenditures for students — restricting them from the full access provided to traditional public school students. State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) (pictured here) is trying to find a conservative to run against Horne in the primary in 2026 due to his dismantling of the popular program, which allows students to use funds for their K-12 education in nontraditional ways. Hoffman posted on X earlier this month, “Tom Horne is the greatest threat to school choice & the ESA program in Arizona. Tom Horne will lose to the Democrat in the 2026 general election. Arizona needs a strong, pro-school choice candidate for this very important office. I’m working on identifying that candidate now.” In a follow-up post, Hoffman noted that Horne “voted NO on AZ’s signature School Tuition Organization (STO) Tax Credit Program in 1997” as…
Read the full storyNearly 200 Schools Request to Participate in Tennessee Education Freedom Act in Less Than Two Months Since Legislation Signed
The Tennessee Department of Education on Thursday raised the total number of private schools who have indicated they will participate in the scholarships created under the Education Freedom Act of 2025 to 192 institutions throughout the Volunteer State, which the agency said means more than half of eligible schools expressed interest in the program in the less than two months since Governor Bill Lee signed the school choice legislation into law.
The Education Freedom Act creates 20,000 Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) worth about $7,300, which will first be made available to Tennessee students during the 2025-2026 school year, with the goal of providing parents the funding necessary for them to have choices in where their children receive an education.
Read the full storyTennessee Gov. Bill Lee Says Department of Education ‘Siphoned Off’ School Funding to Create Washington, D.C. Bureaucracy
Governor Bill Lee on Monday said the executive order signed by President Donald Trump to return control over education back to state governments will empower them by dispensing with a Washington, D.C. bureaucracy that has “siphoned off” taxpayer funding through the Department of Education since its formation in 1979.
Lee made the case that Trump’s efforts to return control over schools and dismantle the Department of Education will allow Tennessee to become better stewards of tax dollars during an appearance on Newsmax TV’s “National Report.”
Read the full storyCommentary: Government Must Stop Micromanaging Microschools
In 2020, the concept of home-based “pandemic pods” went viral. At the time, Cato Institute scholar Jason Bedrick and EdChoice fellow Matthew Ladner released “Let’s Get Small: Microschools, Pandemic Pods, and the Future of Education in America,” a report on the phenomenon.
Read the full storyTrump Declares Education Belongs to the States as He Abolishes Federal Oversight
In a highly anticipated move on Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, calling it a “historic action that is 45 years in the making.” The East Room ceremony was attended by GOP governors from Texas, Indiana, Florida, and Ohio, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, senior advisor Stephen Miller, along with a number of students and other special guests.
“We are going to be returning education very simply BACK TO THE STATES where it belongs,” Trump said. “It’s a commonsense thing to do and it’s going to work.”
Read the full storyTennessee Catholic Conference Praises ‘Landmark’ Education Freedom Act for ‘Empowering Parents’
A statement released by the Tennessee Catholic Conference on Monday praised the Education Freedom Act, the school choice plan presented by Governor Bill Lee, endorsed by President Donald Trump, and passed by the General Assembly last month, creating 20,000 scholarships to help families choose alternative schools for their children.
The conference, the policy arm of the Catholic Diocese of Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville, said it was celebrating the passing of the school choice plan, calling it “a significant step forward for advancing opportunities for all students across our state,” and “landmark legislation” that reflects the Tennessee’s commitment to giving children better education opportunities.
Read the full story‘Great Day for Tennessee’: Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson Celebrates Passage of Education Freedom Act
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) said the passage of the Education Freedom Act of 2025 sends a message that the Volunteer State believes in “parents making choices that are right for their kids.”
On Thursday, the Education Freedom Act (SB6001/HB 6004) passed the Tennessee House by a 54-44 vote and the Tennessee Senate by a 20-13 vote.
Read the full storyTennessee Lawmakers Pass Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Act, Giving School Choice Victory to President Trump
The Tennessee State House of Representatives and the State Senate on Thursday passed the Education Freedom Act, the plan by Governor Bill Lee and Republican legislative leaders to create 20,000 scholarships, each worth about $7,000, to help Tennessee families who choose send their children to private schools.
Read the full storyTrump Expands Educational Freedom, Parental Choice with New Executive Order
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday designed to expand educational opportunities through enhanced parental choice. The order reflects the administration’s commitment to empowering parents with the decision-making power over their children’s education – particularly in light of recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results indicating that 70% of 8th graders are below proficient in reading, and 72% in math.
Read the full storyIneffective GOP State Rep. Jody Barrett Defies President Trump’s Support for Tennessee School Choice Bill
Tennessee State Representative Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) confirmed to The Tennessee Star on Tuesday that he remains opposed to the Education Freedom Act despite the legislation’s recent endorsement by President Donald Trump.
Barrett, who has publicly confirmed his opposition to the universal school choice bill, was asked on Tuesday whether Trump’s support for the legislation put forward by Governor Bill Lee and Republican leadership.
Read the full storyReporter Tom Pappert: If Tennessee Parents Had a Choice, They ‘Probably Wouldn’t’ Be Sending Their Kids to Failing Institutions Like Antioch High School, Shelby County Schools
Tom Pappert, lead reporter at The Tennessee Star, said if Tennessee parents had the financial freedom in deciding where to send their children to school, they “probably wouldn’t” be enrolling their children in dysfunctional school districts like Shelby County Schools or failing institutions like Antioch High School in Nashville.
Read the full storyPresident Donald Trump Applauds Tennessee School Choice Bill
President Donald Trump weighed in on the Education Freedom Act of 2025 filed in the Tennessee General Assembly on Tuesday, voicing support for the legislators who are working to pass the school choice bill.
Read the full storyTennessee House Speaker Says Shelby County School Board’s Firing of Director Another Reason to Pass Education Freedom Act
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) said on Monday that the controversial removal of the former Director of Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) serves as another reason the General Assembly should pass the Education Freedom Act, which would create 20,000 scholarships to help families pay for private education, and is under consideration this week during a special legislative session called by Governor Bill Lee.
Sexton confirmed during an appearance on KWAM’s “Wake up Memphis” that lawmakers are likely to pass legislation empower the State of Tennessee to take control over the school system following the vote to fire superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins by the MSCS Board of Education, after board members claimed Feagins misrepresented overtime fees and failed to disclose receipt of a donation, among other offenses.
Read the full storyCommentary: Tennessee Parents, Not Bureaucrats, Should Choose What’s Best for Their Kids’ Education
The pandemic proved one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt: parents are responsible for directing their kids’ education. This isn’t an argument, it’s a fact. When schools close and services are suspended, it is parents who are left to figure out what to do. With this very recent context, it’s hard to believe that there are those who oppose giving parents more options. I’m here to share good news: school choice works.
Read the full storyA.G. Dave Yost Kicks Off Ohio Governor Campaign, Promises to Defend Conservative Values
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost officially declared his candidacy on Thursday for the Republican nomination for governor in 2026.
“This is my heart, my home,” Yost said in a statement sent to media announcing his run. “I work for the people of Ohio, and I love my bosses. From the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed at night, I’m thinking about them and our future.”
Read the full storyClarksville-Montgomery School Board Establishes Neutral Stance on School Choice After Original Stance Opposing Vouchers
The Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board voted to pass a resolution on Tuesday establishing a neutral stance on school choice vouchers being debated by state lawmakers in the Tennessee General Assembly.
Read the full storyCommentary: Governor Hobbs’ ESA Proposal Unacceptable for Arizona Families
More than 80,000 Arizona families are happily using Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program. It’s unfortunate that these families live in constant frustration with Governor Hobbs and her constant attacks on the ESA program. As the newly elected Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, let me be clear: none of Governor Hobbs’ plans for the ESA program will come to fruition.
Read the full storyAlleged Abuse of Arizona School Choice Program First Flagged by State Superintendent, Given to Attorney General
Tom Horne, the Arizona State Superintendent of Education, reportedly stated Monday that the alleged abuse of the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) system by two Colorado residents was first flagged by his office, which reported it to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes for possible criminal prosecution.
Mayes announced on Monday that a grand jury indicted Johnny Bowers and Ashley Hewitt with filing fraudulent applications for 50 students to receive scholarships that help families send students to a school of their choice.
Read the full storyGov. Bill Lee Introduces ‘TN Education Freedom’ Website Promoting School Choice Plan Featuring 20,000 Scholarships
Governor Bill Lee on Tuesday shared details about the new school choice legislation filed in the Tennessee General Assembly, suggesting the path universal school choice begins by making 20,000 scholarships available to Tennessee students, including 10,000 reserved for families who could not typically afford a private or parochial school.
Lee shared a website for the Tennessee Education Freedom Act in a post to the social media platform X, where he also included a clip from his recent Fox News appearance, when he explained the Tennessee Education Freedom plan would eventually lead to universal school choice.
Read the full storyNorth Carolina Legislature Overrides Democrat Governor, Passes Sweeping School Choice Measure
The North Carolina legislature successfully overrode Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto Wednesday in a measure that opens up school choice vouchers to over 50,000 students.
The bill, Require ICE Cooperation & Budget Adjustments, added additional funds to the state’s school choice program for the thousands of students that have been held on a waitlist, according to The Center Square. Cooper vetoed the bill in September claiming it would have a “disastrous impact” on public schools, but the North Carolina House voted against the governor on Tuesday and the Senate finalized the veto override in a vote on Wednesday.
Read the full storyPoll: Tennessee Democrats and Republicans Back School Choice
A poll of 1,200 likely Tennessee voters shows both Democrats and Republicans would back candidates who support school choice.
Democratic voters were even more likely than Republicans, with 58% saying they would vote for a proponent of school choice compared to 56% of their GOP counterparts, according to a poll by The Beacon Center.
Read the full storyPoll: Americans Broadly Support Federal School Choice Program
A new national poll shows a majority of Americans support school choice measures that would allow families to use taxpayer funds to attend a private school.
The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll conducted by Noble Predictive Insights found that over two-thirds of the more than 2,200 likely voters polled support giving families choices using public funds.
Read the full storySchool Choice Helps Close Performance Gap for Low-Income Students, Study Finds
Cities with robust charter school programs have drastically lowered the performance gap between low-income students and their peers, a study published in October found.
The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) found that student performance rose in every city with a majority of low-income students when 33% or more are enrolled in charter schools, according to the report. Non-white students make up a large percentage of those benefiting from school choice policies.
Read the full storyCommentary: The Coming Election’s Effect on Education
At the recent Donald Trump-Kamala Harris debate, the subject of education was nonexistent. Despite its hot button nature, the moderators did not broach the subject, and some parents are angry.
Michele Exner, a senior advisor at Parents Defending Education, commented that despite student literacy having “hit a crisis point,” those who were already struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic are being failed now. Yet, the moderators did not ask one single question about education. “They completely ignored one of the top issues parents are worried about.”
Read the full storyArizona School Choice Lawsuit Alleges Spending Restrictions Are Unlawful
The Goldwater Institute is suing Attorney General Kris Mayes over what they believe are overly-stringent restrictions on universal Empowerment Scholarship Account program purchases.
The complaint alleges that there were “legal threats” made by Mayes to Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne asking that purchases by parents made outside of “pre-established curricula” should not be approved.
Read the full storyNearly 50 Progressive Democrats Label Gov. Josh Shapiro an ‘Unnecessary Obstacle’ for Kamala Harris Presidential Campaign
Nearly 50 progressive Democrats signed a letter urging Vice President Kamala Harris not to select Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to complete her presidential ticket, claiming he will be an “unnecessary obstacle” in her effort to hold the White House against former President Donald Trump in November.
Led by the chair and former chair of the California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus, the letter includes a total of 47 names from progressive groups affiliated with the Democrats across the country.
Read the full storyState Representative Scott Cepicky: Tennessee’s Public Education Has Opportunity to Be Improved Through Both Universal School Choice Program and Reform Measures
Tennessee State Representative Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) said the Tennessee House version of the universal school choice bill that failed to pass the General Assembly earlier this year is “eerily similar” to the Wisconsin school choice bill that passed the state’s legislature nearly 14 years ago.
Read the full storyTennessee Governor Bill Lee Endorses Aron Maberry in House District 68 Primary Race
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee endorsed Aron Maberry, a Montgomery County school board member, in the August 1 Republican primary election for Tennessee State House District 68.
Read the full storyGOP Candidate for TN House District 65 Lee Reeves: ‘Yes, I’m Voting for Governor Lee’s Universal School Choice’
Real estate investor and attorney Lee Reeves, who is running in the August 1 Republican primary election for Tennessee State House District 65, sat down with The Tennessee Star’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Michael Patrick Leahy on Wednesday to discuss his stance on different issues affecting the state.
House District 65 is currently represented by State Representative Sam Whitson (R-Franklin), who announced he would not be seeking reelection to the seat.
Read the full storyGov. Bill Lee Confirms He’s ‘Engaged’ with Republican Candidates to Determine School Choice Stance Ahead of Primary Elections
Governor Bill Lee confirmed in a Monday press conference that he is “engaged” with Republican candidates to determine their stance on school choice following the defeat of his Education Freedom Scholarship Act, which would have provided 20,000 Education Savings Accounts for Tennessee students.
Lee said he has “met with several candidates, some who are in open seats; some who are incumbents,” with the governor specifically asking the candidates for their stances on “what I’m talking about is education freedom and choice for parents.”
Read the full storyFlorida’s Public Schools Close as School Choice Takes Off
As Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has pushed school choice initiatives, leading to a spike in charter and private school enrollments, public schools are shutting down.
Across the state, public school enrollment is declining. Duval County Public School District, the sixth-largest school district in Florida and 20th largest in the country, is now considering campus closures due to dramatic dips in their enrollment.
Read the full storyTN-18 State Senate GOP Primary Challenger Chris Spencer Refuses to Answer If He’d Vote for Governor’s School Choice Bill If Elected
Chris Spencer, a Republican candidate challenging incumbent Tennessee State Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin) in the August 1 TN-18 GOP primary, refused to answer whether he’d vote for or against Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice bill during the next legislative session of the General Assembly if elected.
The governor’s school choice bill, called the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, failed to pass the General Assembly during the most recently convened session of the General Assembly.
Read the full storyGeorgia Senator Greg Dolezal Says Promise Scholarship Act Puts Parents in Charge Regarding School Choice
Senator Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming), who sponsored Senate Bill 233, said that the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act puts parents in charge regarding school choice options for their children. The bill was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp on Tuesday.
Senator Dolezal told The Georgia Star News on Friday, “The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act will ensure that parents and children are at the center of the education decisions in Georgia. I am excited to empower parents to make decisions on education opportunities for their children that best fit their needs. We have seen a school choice wave sweeping the County, and we can add Georgia to the list of states where parents are in the drivers seat of control.”
Read the full storyGovernor Bill Lee Confirms ‘No Pathway’ for School Choice Bill, Hints at Reviving Plan Next Legislative Session
Governor Bill Lee released a statement Monday announcing there is “not a pathway” for his universal school choice voucher bill this legislative session of the Tennessee General Assembly.
Read the full storySarah Huckabee Sanders Announces Major Expansion of School Choice Options for Children Of Veterans, First Responders
Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas announced Monday that the state Department of Education was expanding its education savings program to include veteran and first responder families.
The Arkansas Education Freedom Account program, which was launched in 2023, helps fund families who wish to send their children to private schools or homeschool them and previously included “Homeless students, current or former foster care students, students with disabilities” and “first-time kindergarteners.” For the 2024-2025 school year, “veterans, military reserve members, first responders, law enforcement officers and students from D-rated schools will now be eligible, according to a press release.
Read the full storyWTN’s Matt Murphy Calls Out State Rep. Todd Warner for Claim He Did Not Record or Know Who Recorded Phone Conversation with AFP’s Tori Venable Broadcast in NewsChannel5 Report by Phil Williams
Tuesday afternoon on the Matt Murphy Show, broadcast weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on SuperTalk 99.7 WTN, host Murphy interviewed Tori Venable, executive director of Americans for Prosperity-Tennessee, about AFP’s support for Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice bill currently under consideration in The Tennessee General Assembly. During the interview, Venable criticized the reporting of Phil Williams in Monday evening’s broadcast on NewsChannel 5, which featured an interview with State Representative Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill), as well as a recording of a phone call between Williams and Venable that was obtained without Venable’s consent.
Read the full storyCorey DeAngelis on State Rep. Todd Warner’s Anti-School Choice Stint on News Channel 5: ‘Time to Vote Him Out’
Corey DeAngelis, a school choice activist and senior fellow at the American Federation for Children, said it’s time for Tennessee State Representative Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill) to be voted out of office amid his anti-school choice stunts, including his recent work with News Channel 5’s Phil Williams.
Read the full storyClaiborne Thornton Says Governor Lee Did Not Consult with Homeschoolers While Crafting School Choice Bill
Claiborne Thornton, president of the Tennessee Home Education Association, said Governor Bill Lee did not consult with homeschool families before crafting his universal school choice bill, which is currently undergoing debate in the Tennessee General Assembly.
“The bill, the way it was written, the way it was crafted, was without any consultation from any homeschoolers,” Thornton explained on Tuesday’s edition of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show.
Thornton said particular objections to the bill surround the Tennessee Department of Education’s role in facilitating the program.
Read the full storyParental Rights Moves Forward in Georgia as House of Representatives Passes Georgia Promise Scholarship Act
The Georgia House of Representatives passed the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act on Thursday.
This act will give parents school vouchers of up to $6,500 per student. The vouchers would help students in low-performing districts receive funds to expand school choice options or purchase curricula for homeschooling.
Read the full storyBen Cunningham: ‘It’s Pathetic’ School Choice Advocates are not Given a Voice by Local Media Outlets
Ben Cunningham, founder of the Nashville Tea Party, said it’s “pathetic” that advocates of Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice voucher program are not being given a voice through local news outlets across the Volunteer State.
Read the full storyState Senator Mark Pody ‘Much Happier’ with Senate Version of Governor’s School Choice Bill Compared to House Version
Tennessee State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) said he is “much happier” with the Senate’s version of Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice bill compared to the House’s version, which includes additional incentives not particularly related to school choice.
Read the full storyTennessee State Senator Joey Hensley Explains ‘Present’ Vote on School Choice Bill
Tennessee State Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) said he voted present on the State Senate’s version of Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice bill this week in the education committee because he said he believed there needed to be “more discussion” on the bill before it advanced out of committee.
“I was present, not voting, because I felt like we needed more discussion in the education committee,” Hensley said on Thursday’s episode of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show.
Read the full storyTennessee House Education Committee Advances Bill for School Choice Expansion
Lawmakers in the Tennessee House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to advance legislation to expand school choice, moving forward the proposal announced by Governor Bill Lee in November.
Designed to create 20,000 new Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) for Tennessee students next school year, HB 1183 passed the House Education Administration Committee with 12 votes in favor and seven votes against.
Read the full storySchool Choice Candidates Win Big in Texas Republican Primary
Candidates who support school choice won big in Republican primaries Tuesday night in Texas. The majority of Republican primary voters also passed a nonbinding proposition supporting school choice.
Read the full story