Tennessee families can apply for Education Freedom Scholarships, which offer taxpayer-funded vouchers to offset private school costs, starting May 15.
Applications will open at noon CT that day, according to a news release sent April 24 by the Tennessee Department of Education. Applications and more information are available at tn.gov/education/EFS. The website also includes links to an eligibility checklist and a sign-up for email updates. It’s not clear when the applications will close. Questions about the program can be directed to EFS.Questions@tn.gov.
“A quality education has the power to change the trajectory of a child’s life, and for the first time, families across Tennessee have the opportunity to choose the best school for their child,” Gov. Bill Lee said in the release. “I’m grateful that the vast majority of eligible schools intend to participate in Education Freedom Scholarships, and I have full confidence in the Department of Education’s ability to implement the program.”
The scholarships expand the state’s existing voucher program after a yearslong, highly controversial push by Lee. After a failed effort to pass the expansion last year, lawmakers ultimately passed legislation after Lee called a special session in January.
The previous version of Tennessee’s voucher program had strict income limits in place for applications and only operated in three counties. The new program will offer 20,000 scholarships worth roughly $7,300 to Tennessee students, including both those enrolled in public school and those already attending a private institution anywhere in the state. The first 10,000 scholarships include income restrictions but the remaining half will not.
Once the legislation passed, state officials quickly got to work to set up rules and procedures for how the new program works in an effort to launch it in time for the 2025-26 school year.
“I appreciate all the families and schools who engaged throughout this implementation phase as we continue to best prepare them for the upcoming application launch on May 15,” Tennessee Commissioner of Education Lizzette Reynolds said in the release. 

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