.png)
The Education Freedom Act of 2025, expanding Tennessee’s school voucher program, has officially become law.
Gov. Bill Lee signed the bill into law on Jan. 30 after it passed the Tennessee General Assembly with a 54-44 vote in the House and a 20-13 vote in the Senate. Both Republican Cheatham County representatives – Sen. Kerry Roberts and Rep. Mary Littleton – voted to approve the bill.
The new law will provide 20,000 scholarships, each valued at $7,296, for students statewide to attend private schools. Homeschool students are not eligible. The program is projected to cost $190.8 million annually, with additional funds set aside for teacher bonuses and other education initiatives – bringing the total to just under $450 million.
Half of the vouchers are reserved for families with incomes below 300% of the income limit to qualify for free or reduced price lunch – about $170,000 for a family of four – or children with disabilities. The remaining 10,000 slots have no income limit.
Despite the law's passage, Cheatham County Director of Schools Cathy Beck remains adamantly opposed to the voucher program and has publicly voiced her concerns over its potential impact on local schools. In a letter sent to Tennessee state legislators ahead of the vote on Jan. 30, Beck reiterated her opposition, emphasizing the strain the program could place on public school resources in Cheatham County.
"Tennessee schools are currently underfunded," Beck wrote, pointing out that the state ranks 45th in the nation for per-student spending and 44th for average teacher salaries. "Vouchers take away critical funding from public schools, further exacerbating an already challenging situation."
Under the new law, parents will be able to use state funds to pay for private school tuition for their children. However, Beck argues that the program's expansion could lead to staffing cuts, larger class sizes and fewer resources for the remaining students in public schools. “Funding is tied to enrollment, but reduced enrollment doesn’t equate to reduced expenses,” she explained. "Schools don’t lose an entire class from the same grade – they lose students haphazardly across the district, meaning they still require the same level of overall resources."
Beck also voiced concerns about the program benefiting families who already have the means to afford private education. She pointed to statistics from other states that have implemented voucher programs, such as Arizona, where only 21% of voucher recipients came from public schools, and Florida, where 69% of new voucher recipients were already enrolled in private schools.
Additionally, Beck warned that rural families in Cheatham County, where private school options are limited and transportation can be a barrier, may not have access to the benefits the voucher program promises. "In rural communities, there are few education options outside of local public schools, and most parents do not have the means to drive many miles each day to the closest private school," she said.
Though the Education Freedom Act is now law, Beck remains committed to advocating for public education. "Vouchers do not provide choices and opportunities for all students," she wrote, adding that private schools will have the freedom to accept or reject voucher students, leaving many families without options.
"We should focus on investing in public education, not diverting funding to private systems," Beck concluded. "Public schools serve every child, regardless of income or background, and that’s where our efforts should be focused."
The voucher program is now in effect for next school year, but logistics for how to apply for a scholarship are not yet available.
Cheatham County Director of Schools Beck will be departing at the end of this school year, with her assistant, Stacy Brinkley, set to take her place.