House approves expanded Education Freedom Scholarships after marathon floor debate

The Tennessee House voted to expand the Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) program after a prolonged floor debate that stretched for hours and featured repeated arguments about funding, oversight and who benefits. Leader William Lambert sponsored the bill as amended, saying the measure would add scholarships and a prioritization scheme intended to serve lower‑income families first.

Lawmakers who backed the bill said it increases options for parents who argue public school does not meet every student’s needs. “Parents, not the government, know what’s best for their child’s needs,” Representative Mayberry said during debate, urging colleagues to “trust parents and expand opportunity.” Sponsors also added reporting and verification provisions and a provision intended to preserve an LEA funding floor tied to 2026–27 enrollment figures.

Opponents cast the bill as fiscally risky and insufficiently accountable. Representative Brooks said the legislation “takes taxpayers’ dollars away from our very schools that serve the majority of our children and sends it to a private institution with little accountability.” Several members pointed to research and examples from other states showing that voucher programs commonly subsidize families already enrolled in private schools.

Debate over the so‑called hold‑harmless language figured prominently. Representative Barrett—whose amendment sought to preserve a funding floor as members previously understood it—argued the chamber should not alter the commitment made to local education agencies last year: “The funding floor that we put in place 15 months ago was designed to guarantee that as of the 2026–27 year, you’re never gonna have to go backwards,” he said. Sponsors countered that the adopted amendment clarifies the floor, ties it to EFS verification and prioritizes need in distribution of new scholarships.

The House adopted several amendments addressing reporting, income‑based prioritization and verification steps (including the use of Social Security numbers to confirm eligibility) before taking the final roll call. The measure passed on a recorded vote, 52 to 43. According to the floor record, the bill will increase available scholarships and set an ordered priority: 1) current recipients, 2) families at or below 100% of the federal poverty level, 3) families up to 300% of the poverty level, then public‑school transfers and others if slots remain.

What happens next: The bill, as amended on the floor, will proceed per the legislative process for enrollment and any cross‑chamber action. Supporters said the program would expand immediate access for many applicants on the wait list; critics said they will monitor fiscal impacts and program reporting closely.