Tennessee Senate Passes School Voucher Legislation

column | Policy and Government

Tennessee Senate Passes School Voucher Legislation

Apr 11, 2014

SCHOOL (CHOICE) SPIRIT: Yesterday, the Tennessee Senate passed TN Gov. Bill Haslam's proposed legislation allowing low-income students in failing schools to use vouchers for school choice. The legislation would issue vouchers for covering private school tuition for as many as 5,000 low-income students by the fall of 2014, and as many as 20,000 students by 2017. The Senate Education Committee approved the proposal in an 8-1 vote, though it is unclear whether or not the bill will move forward in the fall. Policymakers still have to negotiate on differences between the voucher bills in the Senate and in the state House of Reps. Nevertheless, this most recent development is a positive one after Haslam's abandoned the plan a year ago in the wake of house disagreements.

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