Image Credit: Gov. Bill Lee / Facebook
Submitted by Moms for Liberty (Hamilton County chapter) –
As conservative Tennesseans, we value fiscal responsibility, local control, and freedom from government overreach.
While Governor Bill Lee’s “Education Freedom Scholarship Act” promises to “ensure every child gets the education that fits their needs“, a closer examination reveals that it could undermine these core principles.
This legislation jeopardizes taxpayer dollars, threatens parental rights, and risks diminishing the quality of education in Tennessee for all families. It’s a costly and untested program that may harm the very principles we hold dear.
What Does the Bill Really Do?
The “Education Freedom Scholarship Act” claims to empower families by reallocating public education funds, about $7,000 per student, to Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). It also offers a one-time $2,000 bonus to every teacher in the state, which some have called a bribe. Beneath the surface, this bill has serious flaws that threaten to erode the conservative values of financial stewardship, parental rights, and local accountability. Here are the key issues:
1. Excludes Homeschoolers and Limits Access for Private Schools
• Despite its claims, the bill excludes traditional homeschool families and imposes restrictive criteria for participation.
• Parents who have made significant sacrifices—whether giving up careers, dedicating countless hours to planning lessons, or shouldering the financial burden of curriculum and supplies—to educate their children at home receive no benefit from this program.
• It is telling that only three Christian schools in Hamilton County currently accept ESA funds. Could excessive government regulations tied to ESA funding be deterring other private schools from participating? This undermines the promise of true school choice.
2. Unmanageable Costs for Taxpayers
• With 10,000 scholarships initially available and expanding by 5,000 each year, the program’s long-term cost could strain Tennessee’s budget, leading to higher taxes for hardworking families.
• Public schools will retain their funding even when students leave, forcing taxpayers to fund both public schools and ESAs simultaneously. This double-dipping could bankrupt our state over time.
3. Privacy and Testing Concerns
• Private schools accepting ESA funds must comply with state-mandated testing and submit detailed demographic data. This invites unnecessary government interference and could compromise student and family privacy by disclosing student data. Parents already feel a loss of control over their child’s personal information being disclosed, giving the State of Tennessee carte blanche access to more data is a problem.
• Standardized testing requirements prioritize bureaucracy over parental involvement, which research shows is the true driver of student success.
4. No Real Plan to Improve Public Schools
• Instead of addressing the root problems in public education, this bill diverts resources to a program that serves a small, select group of students. Families in struggling schools will be left behind with fewer resources and no solutions.
• The legislation offers no clear strategy for strengthening public education or addressing teacher shortages.
Data on ESA Outcomes
According to the state, Tennessee had 1,001,916 students enrolled in its public school system as of 2022.
In its current state, the Education Savings Account (ESA) program in Tennessee is available to eligible students in three of the 4 largest counties, Shelby, Davidson, and Hamilton. Keeping that in mind, the 2023-2024 Tennessee Education Savings Account Annual Report states that only 2,088 students were enrolled in a non-public school and used an Education Savings Account (ESA) last school year. The ESA program had 21 students who were enrolled as seniors (12th grade) or graduated from a high school.
The data reveals mixed outcomes for ESA students compared to their public-school peers:
1. ELA Proficiency Rates:
• ESA students showed modest improvements in proficiency rates for 2023-24 (e.g., Davidson County ESA students increased from 24.0% to 28.8%). However, they still lag behind public school students, who averaged a 39% proficiency rate statewide in ELA.
2. Math Proficiency Rates:
• While improvements were noted (e.g., Memphis-Shelby ESA students improved from 12.3% in 2022-23 to 18.7% in 2023-24), ESA students continue to perform significantly below public-school averages (36.7% statewide proficiency in 2023-24).
3. Hamilton County ESA Students:
• In ELA, ESA students achieved a 32.2% proficiency rate in 2023-24, compared to the countywide public school proficiency rate of 39%.
• In Math, ESA students achieved an 18.1% proficiency rate, well below the county’s public-school rate of 36.6%.
4. Memphis-Shelby County:
• Shelby ESA students showed significant improvement, closing the gap with public school peers in both ELA (25.1% vs. 23.7%) and Math (18.7% vs. 18.7%).
These trends suggest that while the ESA program has benefited some students, particularly in Memphis-Shelby County, it has not delivered consistent or transformative results statewide. Our tax dollars would be better spent improving teacher compensation, development, and retention, as well as by modernizing the school facilities in which they teach. ESA students generally continue to lag behind their public-school counterparts, raising questions about the program’s efficacy and scalability.
Who Benefits?
This bill appears to serve the interests of out-of-state special interest groups, like the American Federation for Children (AFC), which send millions of dollars to candidates who support them.
For the 2022 election cycle, the organization boasted donating $9 million to candidates backing school choice. In TN, they have poured millions into ads where Bill Lee pushes his 2025 Education Freedom Act.
These groups prioritize their privatization agenda over the needs of Tennessee families. Meanwhile, rural and underserved communities—where school choice is limited—will see little to no benefit.
Why Should This Matter to All Tennesseans?
1. Parents with Children in Public Schools:
• Public schools will lose critical resources, such as teachers leaving the public school system, which will create inefficiencies and diminish the quality of education for students who remain.
2. Homeschool and Private School Families:
• The ESA program’s restrictions mean most homeschool families will be excluded, while private schools accepting ESA funds will face increased government oversight.
3. Taxpayers:
• The program’s runaway costs could lead to higher property taxes, diverting funds from essential services like public safety, infrastructure, and local schools.
The Bigger Picture
Governor Lee’s “Education Freedom Scholarship Act” may sound appealing, but it’s a costly experiment that contradicts conservative principles. Instead of supporting unproven programs, we should demand a responsible, comprehensive plan to:
• Support Teacher Recruitment and Retention: Address the teacher shortage by providing competitive pay and reducing bureaucratic burdens.
• Strengthen Public Schools: Ensure all students—urban, rural, and suburban—have access to high-quality education.
• Respect Parental Rights Without Government Overreach: Empower parents without subjecting private schools to excessive regulation.
What Can You Do?
Take action today. Contact your state representatives and share your concerns about the “Education Freedom Scholarship Act.” Let them know this bill undermines fiscal responsibility, local control, and true educational freedom.
Last session, Democrat Representatives Hakeem and Yarboro introduced two critical bills in anticipation of the school choice debate. Both bills were contingent on school choice passing… which was telling:
• HB2450: Requires a nonpublic school that accepts publicly funded vouchers for student tuition to comply with the same requirements for student testing applicable to public schools, subject to certain exemptions; requires a nonpublic school that accepts a publicly funded voucher to pay back a pro-rated amount of the scholarship if the student leaves school before the end of the school year.
• HB2409: Requires the department of education to annually collect and report certain information for each provider and nonpublic school that receives public funds through a scholarship, voucher, education savings account, individualized education account, or similar program created to provide parents, guardians, or students state or local funds to assist the parent, guardian, or student in paying tuition, fees, and any other approved expenses associated with the student enrolling in and attending a nonpublic school in this state. Meaning, schools taking ESA funds must disclose diversity, socioeconomic, and admissions criteria. So, if you take the public funds, your private business’ will be forced to disclose internal policies for admission.
If Governor Lee secures confirmation that he has enough votes, it will be much harder to stop this bill during the legislative session. Let your voice be heard now.
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