NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Story courtesy of WVLT) — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Thursday signed legislation expanding Tennessee’s Education Freedom Scholarship Program, making 35,000 scholarships available for the 2026-27 school year.
The Education Freedom Scholarship allows Tennessee K-12 public school students to use state funds toward private education expenses. For the previous school year, each scholarship was worth $7,295.
State officials said Tennessee’s universal school choice program continues to show strong demand. According to the governor’s office, the program had a 99% renewal rate after its first year, and more than 300 schools have registered to participate.
The Tennessee Department of Education said it received applications from more than 56,000 families for the 2026-27 school year. Officials said all 35,000 available scholarships are currently reserved and awaiting acceptance.
According to the state, 81% of new scholarships were awarded to applicants who either meet income eligibility requirements or qualify through the Individualized Education Account and Education Savings Account programs.
Even with the expansion, demand still exceeds available seats. The state said another 17,735 applications remain on a waitlist in case additional scholarships become available.
