Memphis-Shelby County Schools has a lot going on. Here are 5 things to watch.
MSCS board members start another academic year with a temporary district leader, as state takeovers loom, school closures are expected, and new policies could take hold.
Topic: School vouchers
RSSThere are 58 article(s) tagged School vouchers:
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August 2025
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July 2025
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Gov. Bill Lee downplays transparency concerns about Tennessee school voucher program
Students’ prior enrollment is a frequently asked question in other state voucher programs and was a required question on the application for Tennessee’s first voucher initiative.
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May 2025
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Thousands applied for vouchers. What Memphis schools will accept them?
Across the state, families’ interest in the new EFS vouchers, which relaxed family-income thresholds and academic testing requirements, has exceeded the available 20,000 spots for its first year.
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March 2025
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Germantown teachers will be getting bonuses
The state-funded bonuses were part of the controversial school-voucher legislation.
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February 2025
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Opinion: The pros and cons of public school vouchers
“I have come to conclude is that school voucher programs nationwide are not necessary and create far more problems than they solve.”
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Gov. Lee signs bill drastically expanding school vouchers
While the $447 million initiative has been touted as a “universal” program for anyone interested, Republican leaders included a key provision: Students living in the country illegally will be prohibited from participating.
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State of the State: Gov. Lee proposes $1B toward $30B road projects backlog
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Monday proposed more than $1 billion into road projects financed by a one-time use of general state tax money and a plan to shift $80 million annually from the sales tax on tires.
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With vouchers coming, Lakeland schools seek level playing field with private schools
The Lakeland School System Board of Education has taken a stance on Gov. Lee’s voucher program, seeking equal standards for between public and private schools receiving the funds.
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January 2025
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Tennessee lawmakers pass Gov. Lee’s school-voucher bill
The House and the Senate passed the Education Freedom Act, legislation championed by Gov. Bill Lee.
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Despite vocal opposition, school-voucher bill sails through state House committees
The Education Freedom Act passed the state House Education Committe, the House Government Operations Committee, the House Finance Ways and Means Committee and the House Calendar and Rules Committee.
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Suburban superintendents concerned by special school-voucher session
With the discussion of school vouchers beginning this week, suburban leaders said they are watching the events in Nashville and hoping the special session doesn’t mean approval of the controversial approach.
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Conaway: The governor’s wallet opens Jan. 27
“Every vote for vouchers takes tax money, your money, from already underfunded public schools and gives it to private schools.”
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Governor calls special session on school vouchers, immigration
Critics of Tennessee’s voucher proposal allege the program is financially unsustainable in the long term and will siphon funds away from public schools.
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Opinion: Can I get some vouchers?
A public school teacher on vouchers: “Let’s be honest, today we’re far more interested in satisfying our own personal interests and we expect the taxpayer to foot the bill. We are entitled.”
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November 2024
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Tennessee K-12 school building costs escalate amid competing political priorities for education
Tennessee needs to spend about $9.8 billion on repairs, upgrades, or construction to keep its K-12 public school buildings safe and conducive to learning, according to a new state report.
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October 2024
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Tennessee is gearing up for another private school voucher debate. Here’s what we know.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson told school board members the governor is planning a “substantial” increase for public education funding in 2025 but didn’t specify how much or for what.
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July 2024
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Gov. Lee touts ‘school choice’ at Republican convention
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who is chairman of the Republican Governors Association, also endorsed Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump as he talked about political unity by the nation’s Republican Governors in resisting Democratic policies.
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May 2024
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Lee says constitutional carry not a problem in Memphis, voucher bill to return
Gov. Bill Lee said Tuesday, May 7, the ability to open carry firearms — and “constitutional rights” — are not the issue when it comes to Memphis and Shelby County crime.
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April 2024
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‘A real hodgepodge’ — local leaders react as education voucher bill stalls
Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee campaigned on vouchers in both 2018 and 2022, but the bill’s chances of becoming law appeared in jeopardy last week. Lawmakers questioned the cost, the effect on private schools and the changing nature of the legislation.
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TN lawmakers approve $52.8B spending plan as school voucher agreement hopes flounder
Even with the budget approved in the House and Senate, lawmakers still remained divided on whether they’ll advance any proposal to spend vastly more public money to send students to private schools throughout the state.
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Memphis City Council fights losing judgeships, voucher expansion
Both resolutions are not binding and have little effect, but they express the body’s political will at a time when many members feel Shelby County’s autonomy is under threat from the Tennessee General Assembly.
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January 2024
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Tennessee private school voucher law hits new obstacle in court
A legal challenge to Tennessee’s private school voucher law is back on track after a state appeals court ruled that a lower court erred in dismissing the case.
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December 2023
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Memphis homicides broke a record in 2023, Lee talks vouchers and more
Memphis’ homicide rate, school vouchers and passenger rail were among the topics discussed on this week’s “Behind The Headlines.”
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Memphis suburban school districts united in opposition to vouchers
Suburban school districts have come out swiftly and strongly against Gov. Lee’s expansion of the state’s education voucher program.
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November 2023
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Bill Lee pushes for statewide school voucher expansion, no income limits
State lawmakers narrowly approved the so-called education savings accounts initiative for the three counties in 2019.
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