Today, Gov. Bill Lee signed the Education Freedom Act into law, providing educational choice to all Tennessee families. The Education Freedom Act establishes a universal scholarship program, making Tennessee the first state in 2025 to enact universal education freedom.
“Governor Bill Lee has been a steadfast champion for families and students,” said Shannon Pahls, public affairs director, yes. every kid. “We commend Governor Lee and the General Assembly for their dedication to enhancing educational opportunities for all students. The Education Freedom Act reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that every child in Tennessee has access to an education that nurtures their potential and supports their unique needs. Tennessee is truly leading the way in 2025 for education freedom.”
How it works:
- The Education Freedom Act establishes a statewide scholarship program beginning in the fall of 2025.
- Twenty thousand scholarships will be available to Tennessee students for the 2025-2026 school year. Ten thousand scholarships will be for universal eligibility, and 10,000 will be for students at or below 300% of income qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, students with a disability, or those eligible for the existing ESA program.
- For the 2026-2027 school year and beyond, scholarships will be open to universal eligibility, with 5,000 additional scholarships each year 75% of applications for total scholarships are submitted the previous year.
About yes. every kid.
yes. every kid. is a leading advocacy team with a family-first approach to transform America’s education policy landscape. We work to transform education away from the current top-down standardized model to a bottom-up approach that enables every family and student to customize an education that best matches their values and priorities.
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