This week, our legislators are meeting for a special session to consider extending school vouchers statewide, called the Education Freedom Act of 2025. A similar bill failed last year, though votes are expected to be tighter this time. Nashville, Memphis, and Chattanooga have been piloting the school voucher program since 2022. Here’s everything you need to know about school vouchers in Nashville, including their effectiveness, what proponents and critics say, and how much it will cost if passed.
💸 How Do School Vouchers Work in Nashville?
The Tennessee Education Savings Account (ESA) takes taxpayer money to pay $7,075 for eligible students to use toward private school tuition instead of attending one of Nashville’s free public schools. To qualify, household income must not exceed twice the federal income eligibility guidelines for free school lunches.
Currently, 39 Middle Tennessee private schools accept ESA funds. These schools are primarily religious. Around 2,400 students between the three counties participate in the program.
📝 How Effective Have School Vouchers Been?
Students participating in the school voucher program had lower TPAC scores than their public school peers. However, 91% of participating parents said they were satisfied with their student’s academic growth.
💰 How Much Will Statewide School Vouchers Cost?
The bill will cost $424 million: $144 million for school vouchers to 20,000 students and a one-time $2,000 teacher bonus. It will take $77.2 million from the state’s sports wagering revenue to pay for school construction instead of the Tennessee Lottery account.
🏫 What School Voucher Proponents Say
- Taxpayers should determine where their tax dollars are spent.
- Since every student is unique, they should be able to choose the school that best meets their needs.
- School vouchers might lower crime and give poor students better opportunities.
- They could lead to decreased classroom size in public schools.
- It allows parents to move wherever they want and still have children attend the school of their choice.
🎒 What School Voucher Critics Say
- The state will be spending more on private school vouchers per student than on public school students in more than one-third of districts, including Nashville.
- Rural areas without private schools will lose funding for public schools.
- Two-thirds of vouchers will subsidize families already sending their kids to private schools.
- States with similar programs have seen an influx of private schools open, take taxpayer money, and close a year or two later.
- Budgets are unable to sustain two systems of education for long.
- The bill will take money away from HOPE Scholarships, which fully fund community and technical college tuition.
