HB 6004 / SB 6001

Governor Bill Lee has proposed a massive expansion of Tennessee’s school voucher program that would create an expensive new entitlement program while threatening the independence of private education. While marketed as “school choice,” this initiative represents a concerning expansion of government power that requires immediate attention from Tennessee conservatives.

Understanding the True Costs

The program’s first-year cost would exceed $400 million. This includes:

• $140 million for initial vouchers
• $140 million in continued funding to public schools for students they no longer serve
• $2,000 bonuses for every public school teacher in Tennessee
• Additional administrative costs

But the financial burden tells only part of the story. The program would redistribute wealth from rural to urban areas, with 51 of Tennessee’s 95 counties having no qualifying private schools while still being forced to fund the program through their tax dollars.

The Regulatory Threat

While the Governor claims there are “no strings attached,” the proposed legislation already includes:

• Mandatory state testing requirements
• Student data reporting to state authorities
• Compliance with state-established “requirements” for educational services
• Authority for the Department of Education to create additional rules after passage

History shows that government funding inevitably leads to government control. Once private schools become dependent on voucher funding, resisting future regulations becomes nearly impossible.

The Evidence of Failure

Tennessee’s existing pilot program provides clear warning signs. Recent test results show ESA students performing no better – and in some cases worse – than their public school peers. In Shelby County, for example, ESA students achieved the same 18.7% math proficiency rate as public school students. Despite these disappointing results, the Governor proposes expanding this failing model statewide.

The Choice Myth

Proponents claim this program expands educational choice, but Tennessee parents already have complete freedom to choose public schools, private schools, homeschooling, or hybrid models. This isn’t about expanding choice – it’s about creating a new government entitlement program that threatens the very independence that makes private education successful.

Once government funding enters private education, extracting it becomes nearly impossible. Schools adapt their budgets and operations around voucher funding, making them increasingly vulnerable to government control. The time to stop this expansion is before it begins.