Image Credit: Gov. Bill Lee / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
New data shows 602 Hamilton County students are enrolled in private schools via Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Scholarship program (EFS), with almost 50 of that number belonging to a Muslim school rooted in Islamic studies.
Gov. Lee told News Channel 9 that he believes the high demand for EFS points to the program’s success and is proof that it needs to expand. “In the first couple of hours, we had over 40,000 scholarship applications for 20,000 scholarships,” Lee said. “That tells us there is a great demand for this, and we should work to meet that demand. That’s the reason I believe we ought to expand scholarships this year, and I think the General Assembly leadership has expressed a desire to do so as well.”
Yet the governor also admitted there is not enough data to determine whether there are any significant problems that need to be addressed by the Department of Education before the program grows, despite his commitment to increase the availability of the program.
“We will obviously watch the data and see what impacts it has. The biggest impact for me is that parents get to decide- parents who otherwise didn’t have that choice or option for their kid, they now have it, and I think there’s no one better to decide the educational options for their children that those who raise those kids,” he said.
Lee also reiterated his commitment to fully funding public education, and after budget hearings last week expects the state’s school funding formula, known as TISA, to be expanded in the next budget, which he will prepare and present to the General Assembly for revisions and approval.
But despite the governor’s surety that state legislative leadership may be behind his expansion plans, lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle have been expressing concerns about a seeming lack of transparency and accountability from the department about the program.
In July, questions were raised by Republicans and Democrats when the department would not provide basic information like where students receiving scholarships were previously enrolled or financial disclosures confirming applicants met income requirements. It was discovered much of the data lawmakers were seeking to ensure the program complied with the law was not required to be given by applicants.
More legislators questioned the transparency of the department in September, especially in regard to scholarships awarded to families with no income limits. “The state’s new voucher program offers $7,3000 per student, but half of the 20,000 slots have no income limits- meaning taxpayers could be subsidizing private school tuition for families who are already able to afford it,” said Democrat Senator London Lamar at the time. “Tennesseans deserve transparency about where these vouchers are going, which counties the applications came from, and whether they’re expanding opportunity of just shifting public money into private schools.”
For the 2025-26 school year, 20 schools are approved to use EFS in Hamilton County, including an accredited Islamic private school dedicated to building a “thriving, educated Muslim community” in the Chattanooga area.
Annoor Academy reportedly has accepted 47 students using EFS, the fifth highest number for Hamilton County, though some participating schools did not have their numbers listed.
And Anoor Academy is not the only Muslim school receiving taxpayer dollars, as several other Islamic institutions in Memphis, Knoxville, and Nashville which embrace Sharia Law are on the department’s approved list. This revelation reignited criticism from those opposed to the voucher program and led to calls for lawmakers to cease public funding for Islamic schools.
It is likely that discussion and legislation about the EFS program’s expansion, transparency, budgeting, and future impacts will feature when lawmakers reconvene in January of 2026, though lawmakers appear increasingly divided on the issue.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
2 Responses
It’s been labelled as the largest state entitlement program in our state’s history. This article and Bill’s request for more money just proves that this program is just another “Federal Entitlement Program” on state steroids! It’s only going to get worse and Bill has the state taxpayers on the hook for the next budget busting with minimal state accountability and maximum ‘state purse strings’ for private schools who one would think would enjoy their independence more that state funding!
The Governor needs to stay away from the WEF and stop the spraying on the heads of Tennesseans, which is destroying their health. Heavy metals and nano’s being sprayed, which poison the air, water, soil and animals. The bill was signed, yet we are getting sprayed daily, this has to stop.