Tennessee Expands School Vouchers, Cites Trump Influence

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has signed legislation expanding the state's school voucher program, allowing families to use taxpayer dollars for private school expenses, but excluding families unable to prove lawful presence in the U.S. The program offers 20,000 vouchers worth approximately $7,000 each, with half reserved for lower-income and disabled students. Concurrently, Gov. Lee is promoting a bill to revise charter school laws, allowing operators to bypass local school boards and apply directly to a state commission for authorization. This move, if passed, could diminish local control over charter schools while enhancing the authority of the state commission, which is already empowered to authorize charter schools through an appellate process. President Trump’s executive order supporting school choice has influenced these educational policy shifts in Tennessee, emphasizing parental control over children's education.