With Gov. Bill Lee exiting the governor's office in January, Tennessee voters are wondering where gubernatorial candidates U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Jerri Green stand on the future of the recently expanded school voucher program.
Narrowly approved by the state legislature and signed into law by Lee on May 7, 2026, the expansion to Tennessee's taxpayer-funded private school voucher program known as Education Freedom Scholarships sparked controversy, with critics arguing that it diverts taxpayer money away from public schools and doesn't benefit those in need of the scholarships.
With the Lee-endorsed expansion still fresh in the minds of Tennesseans, the future of the program has become a significant flashpoint within the broader education
debate in the 2026 gubernatorial race between Green and Blackburn, who hold sharply contrasting views on the program's future.
Here is where Tennessee's gubernatorial candidates stand on Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarships program.
What exactly is Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarships program?
Founded in 2025, the Education Freedom Scholarships program is Tennessee's universal school choice program that provides state-funded scholarships families can use to enroll their children in participating K-12 private schools across the state.
The state's description is focused on choice, noting that the program gives parents the ability to choose "the school that best fits their child’s needs."
Children can qualify for the program through income-based eligibility, participation in certain existing school-choice programs, enrollment in public schools and, in some cases, through the program's universal eligibility provisions.
The most recent expansion for the 2026-27 school year added 15,000 additional seats to the program, increasing the total number of scholarships from 20,000 to 35,000.
Why did the most recent school voucher expansion cause controversy in Tennessee?
The ensuing controversy over the expansion of the voucher program was largely due to questions about who was receiving the vouchers and whether taxpayer money was being directed toward families who could already afford private schools.
According to Tennessean reporting, 9,360 of the new scholarship recipients fell into the category with an income limit of $173,160 for a family of four, and 3,970 recipients fell into the category with an income limit of $57,720 for a family of four.
Republicans and Democrats alike have criticized the program for redirecting taxpayer dollars away from public schools, offering limited options in rural areas and expanding too fast without sufficient data proving its effectiveness.
Why Marsha Blackburn plans to continue the school voucher program
Blackburn supports expanding Tennessee's voucher program, arguing that parents, not the government, should decide where their children attend school and that every family should have access to school choice regardless of where they live.
"Parents know best when it comes to their children’s education, and this program ensures a child’s success is not determined by their zip code,” Blackburn told Chalk Talk Tennessee in a survey.
"As governor, I will fight to expand Education Freedom Scholarships until no parent has to win the lottery to give their child the education that best suits their unique needs.”
Why Jerri Green backs more funding for public schools
Green opposes the voucher program, echoing concerns that the program offers few benefits to rural communities and diverts funding from public schools.
"When you take money from that school, which is often the community’s biggest employer, you take money from that community’s future. We’re robbing our children of opportunities to give families who can afford private school welfare," Green told Chalk Talk Tennessee.
Green has promised to "fully fund K-12 public education, not siphon dollars into unaccountable voucher schemes" and "invest in universal pre-K, special education and rural schools," according to her campaign's website.
Peter Burditt covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact him at PBurditt@nashvill.gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Should Tennessee expand school vouchers? Gov. candidates Blackburn, Green disagree
