Bill > HB0001

This bill establishes the Education Freedom Scholarship Program in Tennessee, which will provide scholarships to eligible students to attend private schools. For the 2025-2026 school year, the program will award up to 20,000 scholarships, with half reserved for students from low-income households or with specific eligibility criteria. The scholarship amount will be equal to the base state funding for public school students and can be used for tuition, fees, textbooks, tutoring, transportation, technology, summer programs, exam fees, and educational therapy. Recipients in grades 3-11 must take standardized tests annually, and participating private schools retain autonomy in their educational approach. The bill also includes provisions to ensure local education agencies (LEAs) do not lose funding due to student disenrollment and provides a one-time $2,000 bonus to K-12 public school teachers for the 2024-2025 school year. Additionally, the bill modifies how certain privilege tax funds are distributed to support school building construction and maintenance, with consideration given to economically distressed counties and areas with emergency needs.

Education

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0001&ga=114