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On Wednesday, Tennessee’s Supreme Court handed down exciting news for parents across the state by overruling lower courts and rejecting the lead claim in a lawsuit against the Tennessee Education Savings Account Pilot Program.
This program would provide $7,300 in funds for educational expenses such as tuition and tutoring to eligible families. But for over two years, the ESA had been tied up in courts, as Nashville-area municipal and county governments fought to keep low- and middle-income families from accessing this life-changing program.
The Tennessee General Assembly expanded the state’s Individualized Education Account program to include students with dyslexia Monday, when the House of Representatives voted 69-21 in favor of the measure.
The bill previously passed the Tennessee Senate 24-7. The legislation now heads to Governor Lee’s desk. He is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming days.
The American Federation for Children, the nation’s voice for educational choice, congratulates Greg Vital on his victory in the special election for House District 29. Tonight, voters showed their overwhelming support of school choice by electing Greg Vital with 80% of the vote. Greg Vital will replace school choice champion Representative Mike Carter, who was pivotal in helping pass the Education Savings Account legislation that could provide much-needed educational choice for 15,000 students across the state.
The American Federation for Children, the nation’s largest school choice advocacy organization, congratulates the candidates who support educational choice on their successes in Thursday night’s Tennessee Primary elections. The election results are in line with numerous public polls that have found strong support for school choice.
“This is an extremely disappointing decision, and unfairly penalizes the thousands of families who were hoping to utilize the ESA program. These families are desperately looking for options to help their children succeed academically. This law was proposed by Governor Bill Lee, passed the Tennessee General Assembly, and poll after poll has shown that Tennessee families in our struggling school systems support it. The number of parents that have applied thus far shows that this was a needed educational lifeline for families in Nashville and Memphis. As the enrollment period is currently underway, this creates regrettable confusion for those families who had already applied or were preparing to apply. We urge the Attorney General to take the necessary next steps to appeal, defend, and protect the program.”
American Federation for Children-Tennessee today announced the launch of a website dedicated to helping parents navigate school options for their children ahead of the Education Savings Account program open enrollment period, which is expected to begin this month. The website, www.tnschoolfinder.org, offers parents in the Memphis and Nashville areas the opportunity to compare their zoned public school to other public schools, public charter schools, and private schools in their area. Cities across Tennessee will continue to be added over time.
“Today’s vote marks a historic victory for students in Tennessee. Members of the House and Senate voted to open doors for children who have been trapped in failing schools for far too long. They voted to rightly give families choice when it comes to their child’s education. They voted to set children on a path to success.”
This morning the Tennessee Senate passed Governor Bill Lee’s Education Savings Account (ESA) Program, moving the Volunteer State one step closer to providing families with additional high quality educational options.
Today’s vote marks a historic day for Tennessee’s students and parents. Members of the Tennessee House took a courageous stand for the right of parents to choose the educational setting that works best for their children.