US EditionDeadlines Announced for Tennessee Private School Voucher Applications, Renewals
Plaintiffs argue the $1 billion voucher program diverts funding from public schools and lets private schools avoid state education and civil rights rules.
- On Thursday, Tennessee parents and taxpayers filed a complaint in Davidson County Chancery Court seeking injunctions to block the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship Act, saying it violates the state constitution and drains public school funding.
- Governor Bill Lee pushed for the law, which the Legislature's Republican supermajority passed earlier this year, and Lee signed it in February, issuing roughly 20,000 vouchers this school year.
- More than 40,000 families have applied, and private schools accepting vouchers need not follow Tennessee curriculum or special education rules and `may deny admission or otherwise discriminate`.
- Parents from Hamilton, Shelby, Blount and Rutherford counties filed the suit, saying the program siphons resources from public schools, reducing funding below adequate levels and violating the Education Clause of the Tennessee Constitution.
- Amid national trends, similar voucher initiatives have proliferated, including Texas's $1 billion voucher program, and Tennessee's program has a $1 billion estimated five-year cost with Lee's office confident courts will uphold the law for the 2026-27 application cycle.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Parents of public school students and taxpayers sue Tennessee over 'unconstitutional' $150 million private school voucher program
A group of public school students’ parents and taxpayers has filed a lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s new statewide school voucher program, saying that allocating nearly $150 million in state funding to help parents send their kids to private schools is unconstitutional. In their lawsuit filed Thursday in Davidson County Chancery Court, the plaintiffs requested injunctions to block the Republican-backed law while the case proceeds. Similar schola…
Deadlines announced for Tennessee private school voucher applications, renewals
On the same day the Tennessee Department of Education announced the deadlines, a lawsuit was filed alleging the legislation creating the program violates the state constitution's Education Clause.
Lawsuit claims Tennessee's new school voucher program violates the state constitution
A group of public school students' parents and taxpayers has filed a lawsuit challenging Tennessee's new statewide school voucher program, saying that allocating nearly $150 million in state funding to help parents send their kids to private schools is unconstitutional.
Lawsuit claims Tennessee's new school voucher program violates the state constitution
A group of public school students’ parents and taxpayers has filed a lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s new statewide school voucher program. In their lawsuit filed Thursday in Davidson County court, the plaintiffs argue that allocating nearly $150 million in state funding…
Lawsuit claims Tennessee's new school voucher program violates the state constitution
A group of public school students’ parents and taxpayers has filed a lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s new statewide school voucher program. In their lawsuit filed Thursday in Davidson County court, the plaintiffs argue that allocating nearly $150 million in state funding…
Lawsuit claims Tennessee's new school voucher program violates the state constitution
A group of public school students’ parents and taxpayers has filed a lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s new statewide school voucher program. In their lawsuit filed Thursday in Davidson County court, the plaintiffs argue that allocating nearly $150 million in state funding…
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