School vouchers: TN House, Senate panels advance vastly different plans for expansion

Tennessee Republicans advanced two vastly different versions of a statewide school choice program Wednesday that would allow students to use public dollars for private school. Senate and House leadership remain at odds on how to expand a voucher system backed by Gov. Bill Lee.

The Senate Education Committee amended and gave first passage to Senate Bill 503, a version of Lee's plan with additional accountability measures. The version also allows "open enrollment to any school," permitting students to attend public schools outside of the districts for which they're zoned.

Down the hall, the House Education Administration Committee slogged through more than four hours of debate on the House leadership's version before advancing the measure.

The House legislation is a sweeping 39-page proposal that would also overhaul Tennessee's standardized testing requirements for public school students, make changes to teacher and principal accountability and shut down the state’s Achievement School District by 2026.

As the legislation makes its way through committees, there's little indication either chamber wants to cede their bill's direction, though Republican leadership has so far dismissed concerns about the vast impasse between the two versions.

Rep. Scotty Cepicky, R-Culleoka, said Wednesday he aimed to protect the House version, while Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, said he was hesitant to advance the Senate's version out of committee if the final version will be changed dramatically.

"There's no telling what the final bill will look like by the time it gets to the floor," Sen. Rusty Crowe, R-Johnson City, said. "The House has a very different version than the Senate does, and there's a lot of water to go under this bridge yet."

Crowe was among the Senate Republicans who voted the bill out of the education committee, but he noted none of the elected school boards in his conservative district feel positively about it.

Crowe's comments on Wednesday are indicative of some of the sticking points for Lee's expansion plan. The plan has seen pushback from Democrats as well as some Republicans — largely those in rural districts where public schools are foundational to the community.

Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, was the sole no vote in the Senate, arguing similar voucher programs in other states have not produced impressive results. Akbari also touted concerns about tax dollars underwriting private schools that won't be required to have the same level of services for students with disabilities, or who could turn away LGBTQ students.

"I cannot support something that takes public dollars to private institutions that we're not holding accountable, and that do not have to accept all students,” Akbari said.

Several homeschooling families also sat in opposition of the bill over concerns it would apply testing requirements to their students.

Senate Education Committee Chair Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, said homeschool students would only be subject to testing requirements if they opt-in for state funds.

"If you don’t want the funds, there is no change," Lundberg said.

House hearing grows heated after hours of debate

In the House, around 250 people filled the committee room's seats, though public numbers dwindled as the hearing stretched nearly five hours. Discussion between lawmakers grew tense at times over procedural issues, with Democrats and a handful of Republican voucher opponents audibly frustrated once a majority pushed through a vote on the bill.

The committee ultimately voted 12-7 to advance the bill.

At least one House Republican expressed concerns about the lower chamber wrapping Lee's Education Freedom Scholarships proposal within a swath of other education proposals, ballooning the estimated price tag for the House proposal compared to the Senate.

Democrats have criticized the proposal for using measures public schools have long asked for to insulate the controversial voucher measure.

Rep. Charlie Baum, R-Murfreesboro, asked if would be more "cost effective" to have a straight, "pure vote" on the Education Freedom Scholarships proposal and tackle other education reforms in separate legislation.

More: Sweeping school voucher, public education overhaul in Tennessee passes first House hurdle

Among the public education reforms are state-paid health plans for public school teachers and an overhaul of teaching evaluations, which are things some Tennessee educators have requested for years. Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, questioned why lawmakers have not previously prioritized these items.

Cepicky said the "vehicle had never presented itself" to get the education department and governor on board for these "meaningful changes" to the education system, an assertion Parkinson sharply criticized.

"We are the vehicle manufacturer," Parkinson said, referring to the General Assembly. "We could have created a vehicle anytime we wanted to. But for some reason, we've chosen to create a lemon. That vehicle now has all of these great options that are in it, but it's tied to four flat tires."

Rep. Harold Love, D-Nashville, pointed to part of the amendment that allows the $7,000 in state funds to be used toward things like hardware and technological devices.

Cepicky danced around Love's question, but legal staff ultimately confirmed that existing private school students could use the public dollars for things like a computer or other technology.

Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis, and chair of the House education committee, called several people to speak during the latter part of the committee meeting, including Maryville City Schools Director Mike Winstead, who opposes the voucher program. Speakers who support the measure included a student who benefitted from the school voucher program and right-wing political commentator Robbie Starbuck, who had a failed run for a U.S. House seat in 2022.

Lawmakers later peppered Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds, a longtime school choice advocate, with questions on everything from funding for the wide-reaching changes in the amendment — which far exceed Lee’s $141 million proposed budget — to testing and accountability for private schools.

Parkinson asked Reynolds if private schools would be obligated to accept any student who applies through the voucher program. She said they would not be.

“How does that equate to parental choice?” Parkinson asked.

Reynolds said the child’s parents would have the choice to look for other opportunities at other schools.

The Senate bill, SB 503, now goes to the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee. The House version, HB1183, goes to the House Government Operations Committee.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: School vouchers: TN lawmakers advance vastly different expansion plans