Tennessee Republicans back smaller increase in private-school vouchers

Tennessee House Republicans are seeking to lower the governor’s private-school voucher plan by 5,000 in an effort to cut expenses.

Rep. Ryan Williams confirmed Tuesday he filed an amendment that would reduce the proposed increase to a total of 15,000 vouchers for next school year, down from a total of 20,000. Rather than 40,000 requested by Gov. Bill Lee, the move would drop the total number of vouchers to 35,000 in fiscal 2026-27.

In subsequent years, the number of vouchers would be subject to the legislature’s appropriations.

The Cookeville Republican who chairs the House finance subcommittee said he supports parents’ “right to choose” but noted that Speaker Cameron Sexton “entrusted” him to help manage the budget process. 

Doubling the size of the private-school voucher program could increase the cost to about $310 million. And the proposed reduction would save more than $35 million.

Private-school voucher expansion faces Tennessee GOP opposition

“Some of the things that were in there give me concern as it relates to the fiscal stability of it,” Williams said. “So most of these changes … have to do with the fiscal impact in (following) years in trying to make sure we get it right this year versus last year.”

House Bill 2532 went through the House Education Committee and is to be heard in the House finance subcommittee Wednesday. The Senate version came out of the Senate finance committee on a 7-2 vote but hasn’t made it to the Senate floor. The bills from each chamber wouldn’t match if the House adopts Williams’ amendments, which would force them to conform for passage.

Williams said another amendment changes a provision in the law designed to keep school districts from losing state funds when students take the voucher money and move to private schools. Funds for those districts would be based on a three-year average of the enrollment.

The amendment also puts caps on the number of scholarships high-income earners would be able to receive. That number was set at 10,000 this year with the remainder going to students in families at 300% of the federal poverty level.

Tennessee Education Association representative Drew Sutton said Tuesday he is aware of the amendment that changes the cap on vouchers but had not fully reviewed it.

The Governor’s Office did not respond Tuesday to questions about the amendments.