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State Sen. Paige Wally urges caution on expanding Tennessee school vouchers, cites risks to Chester County schools
Summary
State Sen. Paige Wally told the Chester County Board of Education he opposes a proposed statewide expansion of the voucher pilot, saying there is no evidence it raises academic outcomes and warning it could divert funding from public schools.
State Sen. Paige Wally, who represents Chester County, told the Chester County Board of Education he opposes a proposed expansion of the state's school voucher pilot and urged local residents to make their views known to legislators.
Wally told the board that the program has been a pilot in three Tennessee counties and "hasn't worked. At least it hasn't worked yet," adding that "the only evidence that will be shown is parental satisfaction." He said a new proposal from the governor would expand the program statewide and add a one-time $2,000 teacher bonus that he and other critics view as a political sweetener rather than evidence of academic benefit.
The senator stressed his concern that diverting public funds would reduce resources for Chester County Schools. "I don't wanna see our public schools have their funding diverted," he…
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