Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Education released the Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) Program student application checklist and encouraged interested families to begin gathering required documentation to submit when the application launches in May.
The department will announce the program’s launch date in the coming weeks. Families can access the checklist for Education Freedom Scholarships, Tennessee’s landmark universal school choice plan, here.
“For the first time, Tennessee parents in all 95 counties will have the opportunity to enroll their child in the school of their choosing, regardless of income level or ZIP code,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “Nearly 200 schools have already signaled intent to participate in the Education Freedom Scholarship program, and I have full confidence in the Tennessee Department of Education’s ability to process applications and deliver excellent educational choices for parents in the coming school year.”
Interested Tennessee families are also encouraged to sign up for regular email updates here and make plans for the 2025-26 school year by viewing the most updated list of schools intending to participate, totaling 198 eligible schools, here. Additionally, the department continues to invite eligible and interested schools to signal their intent to participate.
“At the department, we are hard at work to provide essential resources for families, so they are prepared and know what to expect once the application window opens later this spring,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education. “Ensuring parents are at the forefront of their child’s education is essential, and I encourage all interested Tennessee families to remain engaged, sign up for our newsletter, and get prepared for when the application window opens.”
Background:
- During the Tennessee General Assembly’s extraordinary legislative session in January, legislators passed the Tennessee Education Freedom Act, and Governor Bill Lee signed the landmark legislation to establish Tennessee’s universal school choice program into law on February 12th, 2025.
- On Wednesday, March 20th, 2025, the State Board of Education held a special called meeting to hear the Education Freedom Scholarship Act emergency rules, which further flesh out the law, define terms, and establish processes and procedures for the scholarships. During the meeting, the emergency rules received a unanimous positive recommendation, marking another pivotal step in the implementation process. The emergency rules will remain in effect for 180 days while the department and State Board of Education work to promulgate permanent rules.
To learn more about the EFS Program and access additional resources, visit the EFS webpage. If you are a Category I, II, or III school interested in participating in the EFS Program, please email EFS.Questions@tn.gov.
For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contact Edu.MediaInquiries@tn.gov.
