Gov. Lee’s ‘Education Freedom Scholarship’ Program Sees Early Interest from 162 Schools Statewide
Nashville, TN—Today, the Tennessee Department of Education announced 162 schools have already signaled an intent to participate in the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) Program, Governor Lee’s first-ever universal school choice plan, within the first three weeks of the program’s launch. As the department prepares to award scholarships to students in the upcoming 2025-26 school year, the department continues to invite eligible and interested schools to participate and welcomes families to learn more here.
“A quality education has the power to change the trajectory of a child’s life, and I’m grateful that Tennessee parents will have the opportunity to choose the best school for their child through the Education Freedom Scholarship Program,” said Gov. Lee. “I commend the participating schools for their partnership to deliver excellent educational choices for parents in the coming school year.”
During the Tennessee General Assembly's extraordinary legislative session in January, legislators passed the Tennessee Education Freedom Act, and Governor Bill Lee signed the landmark legislation to establish Tennessee’s universal school choice program into law on February 12, 2025.
As the implementation process continues, a formal application process for families is projected to be announced later this spring. In the meantime, interested Tennessee families can sign up to learn more here and make plans by viewing which schools intend to participate below:
“Education is not one size fits all, and I am grateful to Governor Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly for their efforts to ensure that every child in our state can reach their full potential,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education. “The EFS Program puts families at the forefront of their child’s education by empowering them to choose the best school to fit their needs, setting their child up to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”
The EFS Program will allow eligible students to use state funds toward education expenses, prioritizing tuition and/or fees at registered Category I, II, or III non-public schools located in Tennessee. As implementation of the program is underway, the department is partnering with the State Board of Education as they promulgate rules ahead of a projected spring application launch.
To learn more about the EFS Program and access additional resources, visit the EFS webpage. If you are a Category I, II, or III school interested in participating in the EFS Program, please email EFS.Questions@tn.gov.