Tennessee education department outlines rollout for new Education Freedom Scholarship program, committee approves contract amendment

Tennessee Fiscal Review Committee members on the committee approved an amendment to the Department of Education's contract with Student First Technologies to add the new Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) program and expand the vendor's services for implementation.

The amendment, presented by Emily Cornude, director of legislative affairs for the Department of Education, and Trudy Hughes, assistant commissioner for Choice, will allow the department to use the department's current Student First platform for intake and related administrative functions as the state prepares to roll out the EFS program required by the public act that created the program.

Why it matters: The EFS program, established by chapter 7 of the public acts of the first extraordinary session of 2025, will allow Tennessee families to use state education funds for…