Tennesseans want school choice, and they have proved it again in a BIG way. New data reveal that nearly 43,000 students applied for 20,000 available scholarships in the inaugural year of the Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) program. This is a stunning success for families across the Volunteer State.
With unprecedented demand, Tennessee awarded all 20,000 scholarships to eligible students who are now enrolled in the schools of their parents’ choice for the 2025-26 school year. Further demonstrating the broad interest in school choice, the state received applications from 94 of 95 counties, and scholarship recipients in 86 counties accepted the award and enrolled in a private school.
Education freedom is a win for all Tennesseans, and it is the future of education. The EFS program is opening doors and unlocking potential. Instead of restricting students to a school based on their income or zip code, parents can now choose the best school for their child. Universal school choice provides greater individualized education opportunities, more accountability, and healthy competition, which drives innovation and improvement.
These scholarships provide $7,295 per year for families to use at the school of their choice. This year, 241 independent schools stepped up to partner with families by accepting the scholarship, and 220 schools have already enrolled scholarship applicants.
This win for Tennessee families is a result of the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, passed by the Tennessee General Assembly earlier this year and signed into law by Governor Bill Lee. The Tennessee Department of Education and the State Board of Education worked hard, in a compressed timeframe, to successfully implement the new program, so children could benefit this fall.
While this is a great reason to celebrate, there is more work to be done to unlock education freedom for all Tennesseans. With demand outstripping the supply of scholarships, a solid majority of Tennesseans want the EFS scholarship cap lifted so all eligible students can participate. State policymakers should expand the program to meet the demand, give even more families this choice, and further strengthen education in Tennessee.
To learn more about school choice options, visit Tennessee Together for Every Student.