Nashville, TN – Today, the Tennessee Department of Education announced the Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) Program application will launch on Thursday, May 15th, 2025, at 12:00pm CT/1:00pm ET for all Tennessee families to submit an eligible student application.
“A quality education has the power to change the trajectory of a child’s life, and for the first time, families across Tennessee have the opportunity to choose the best school for their child,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “I’m grateful that the vast majority of eligible schools intend to participate in Education Freedom Scholarships, and I have full confidence in the Department of Education’s ability to implement the program.”
On Thursday, April 10th, 2025, the department published the Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) Program student application checklist and encouraged interested families to gather required documentation to submit when the application launches. Families can access the checklist for Education Freedom Scholarships, Tennessee’s landmark universal school choice plan, here.
Interested Tennessee families are also encouraged to sign up for regular email updates here. Families can make plans for the 2025-26 school year by viewing the most updated list of schools intending to participate on the EFS webpage, totaling 211 schools to date. The department is actively registering Category I, II, III schools to receive funds for the 2025-26 school year.
“I appreciate all the families and schools who engaged throughout this implementation phase as we continue to best prepare them for the upcoming application launch on May 15,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education.
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 12, 2025.
- On Wednesday, March 20th, 2025, the State Board of Education held a meeting to hear the Education Freedom Scholarship Act emergency rules, which established procedures for the scholarship program. 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.
For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contact Edu.MediaInquiries@tn.gov.
