Nearly 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.

According to the Tennessee Department of Education, as of Thursday, “Over half of all eligible Tennessee schools, or 192 schools, have indicated they intend to participate in the program.”

These include schools spread across 35 counties, with the greatest concentration of institutions participating in the program located in Shelby County, Davidson County, Hamilton County, and Knox County.

State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), who introduced the legislation, specifically mentioned Memphis, located within Shelby County, in remarks made shortly after lawmakers passed his legislation.

“I can’t stress this enough: that’s $7,300 for a single mother in Memphis who is zoned for a failing school,” said Johnson in January. “This can change children’s lives and empower parents to be able to pick a different educational alternative. It’s 20,000 kids who are going to have a shot at a brighter future because their parents will be able to pick a better school for them,”

In order to be eligible to receive students using ESA funding, a Tennessee private school must be ranked by the State Board of Education as a Category I, II, or III school.

For a private school to be ranked Category III, they must have the approval or accreditation of one of six organizations approved to make such determinations by the State Board, hire teachers based on standards set by their accrediting agency, offer certain subjects in line with state standards, and require students to participate in a standardized test each year between third and 11th grades.

Category I and Category II schools have similar accreditation, testing, and curriculum standards, with each category imposing stricter requirements for teacher qualifications and state approval.

During its first year, the Education Freedom Act will make 20,000 scholarships available, with half set to be first offered to families with lower incomes and the second half offered on a first come, first serve basis. So long as the program maintains high interest and enrollment, it will grow by 5,000 scholarships each year.

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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “School Day” by WoodleyWonderWorks CC2.0.