The Tennessee Department of Education recently released data about the new statewide voucher program after months of pushback from lawmakers seeking more transparency.
The controversial voucher program – called Education Freedom Scholarships – allows families to use taxpayer funds to defray the cost of attending K-12 private schools. The vouchers, which are each $7,300, go directly to the private school to cover anything from tuition to books to classroom supplies.
In May, Gov. Bill Lee boasted of the program’s success – noting that over 33,000 families applied for the available 20,000 slots in the first few hours that applications became available. But there hasn’t been much new information since…