Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Digital Subscription
    • Advertisement
    • Contact Us
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    The Tennessee TribuneThe Tennessee Tribune
    Advertise With Us
    • Home
      • COVID-19 Resource Center
        • Dr. Henry Louis Gates’ PSA Radio
      • Featured
    • News
      • State
      • Local
      • National/International News
      • Global
      • Business
        • Commentary
        • Finance
        • Local Business
      • Investigative Stories
        • Affordable Housing
        • DCS Investigation
        • Gentrification
    • Editorial
      • National Politics
      • Local News
      • Local Editorial
      • Political Editorial
      • Editorial Cartoons
      • Cycle of Shame
    • Community
      • History
      • Tennessee
        • Chattanooga
        • Clarksville
        • Knoxville
        • Memphis
      • Public Notices
      • Women
        • Let’s Talk with Ms. June
    • Education
      • College
        • American Baptist College
        • Belmont University
        • Fisk
        • HBCU
        • Meharry
        • MTSU
        • University of Tennessee
        • TSU
        • Vanderbilt
      • Elementary
      • High School
    • Lifestyle
      • Art
      • Auto
      • Tribune Travel
      • Entertainment
        • 5 Questions With
        • Books
        • Events
        • Film Review
        • Local Entertainment
      • Family
      • Food
        • Drinks
      • Health & Wellness
      • Home & Garden
      • Featured Books
    • Religion
      • National Religion
      • Local Religion
      • Obituaries
        • National Obituaries
        • Local Obituaries
      • Faith Commentary
    • Sports
      • MLB
        • Sounds
      • NBA
      • NCAA
      • NFL
        • Predators
        • Titans
      • NHL
      • Other Sports
      • Golf
      • Professional Sports
      • Sports Commentary
      • Metro Sports
    • Media
      • Video
      • Photo Galleries
      • Take 10
      • Trending With The Tribune
    • Classified
    • Obituaries
      • Local Obituaries
      • National Obituaries
    The Tennessee TribuneThe Tennessee Tribune
    Education

    Ahead of School Year, Judges Approves Rollout of Voucher Program

    Article submittedBy Article submittedAugust 8, 2022No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Pinterest Tumblr Reddit Email
    Governor Bill Lee speaking to the General Assembly last month. (Courtesy News Channel 5)
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    By KIMBERLEE KRUESI
    Associated Press

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ Tennessee will be able to implement a contentious school voucher program while opponents continue challenging the initiative, a three-judge panel decided just days before the new school year begins.

    On Friday, attorneys representing Nashville, Shelby County _ which encompasses Memphis _ and families argued in court that Tennessee officials were acting in a “haphazard fashion” while rolling out the voucher program and asked that the 2019 law be blocked.

    Known as education savings accounts, eligible families would be allowed to use up to approximately $8,100 in public tax dollars on private schooling tuition and other preapproved expenses. However, many details of the program remain unknown. The state had been prohibited from working on the program for nearly two years and officials have had just weeks to set up an application and vetting process.

    But despite the concerns raised by the opposing attorneys, the judges on Friday denied their motion to issue an injunction.

    “Although the plaintiffs concerns at the rushed process uncertain details of the ESA rollout and apparent lack of compliance with some of the ESA Act provisions are worthy of further consideration those factors do not provide a basis for the Court to enjoin the implementation of the program,” the unanimous ruling stated late Friday.

    The ruling is the latest win for Republican Gov. Bill Lee and voucher supporters who have been fighting to implement the law ever since the GOP-controlled Statehouse narrowly advanced the measure in 2019.

    Republicans repeatedly amended the proposal to ensure it applied only to Democratic-controlled Nashville and Shelby County after acknowledging it was unpopular among their constituents.

    The two counties were among the entities that quickly sued over the program, challenging the legality of the statute, along with several families.

    In May, Tennessee’s highest court spiked a key legal roadblock that had prohibited the voucher law from going into effect. Soon after, Republican Gov. Bill Lee _ who had championed the statute as it squeaked through the Republican-controlled Statehouse _ announced that interested parents would be able to enroll for the 2022-23 school year.

    “School choice should not wait a day longer in Tennessee and after today’s ruling it won’t, said Arif Panju, an attorney with Institute for Justice, a school voucher advocate that has joined the state in defending the law. “This second attempt to halt the ESA program and keep children trapped in government-run schools that are failing them fell even shorter than the first failed attempt.“

    According to the law, up to 5,000 students may enroll the first year, potentially reaching as many as 15,000 students in its fifth year. The Tennessee Department of Education has since said that nearly 2,100 families have applied but it is unclear how many will qualify.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Article submitted

    Related Posts

    Fisk University Welcomes Antonio Barrino to Lead Band Program and Expand Music Education

    July 7, 2025

    Tennessee Human Rights Commission Dissolved

    July 3, 2025

    Reverend Dr. Derrick Jackson Interim ABC President

    July 2, 2025

    ACLU-TN Files Lawsuit Challenging Criminalization of Local Officials’ Votes on Immigration Policies

    June 30, 2025

    Austin Peay’s MPH program receives $27K for childhood literacy initiative. Community LIFT Project to be implemented at Head Start centers this fall

    June 30, 2025

    TSU, State, reach agreement to reallocate $96M to school

    June 26, 2025

    Comments are closed.

    Business

    Charlotte Knight Griffin Takes Office as TBA President-Elect

    June 30, 2025

    EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth

    June 19, 2025

    FUNdraising Good Times Report from Neighborhoods USA Conference in Jacksonville

    June 4, 2025
    1 2 3 … 384 Next
    Education
    Featured

    Fisk University Welcomes Antonio Barrino to Lead Band Program and Expand Music Education

    By adminJuly 7, 2025

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Fisk University proudly announces the appointment of Antonio Barrino to the Department of…

    Austin Peay’s MPH program receives $27K for childhood literacy initiative. Community LIFT Project to be implemented at Head Start centers this fall

    June 30, 2025

    TSU, State, reach agreement to reallocate $96M to school

    June 26, 2025

    TSU student lands prestigious internship at Harvard Medical School

    June 25, 2025
    The Tennessee Tribune
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • About Us
    • Digital Subscription
    • Store
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact
    © 2025 The Tennessee Tribune - Site Designed by No Regret Media.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Our Spring Sale Has Started

    You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/