Tennessee Accepts Federal School Vouchers Which Will Apply To Private School & Homeschooling

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Article by Paula Gomes, Tennessee Conservative News –

The state of Tennessee has accepted the new federal school voucher program which will apply to both private schools and homeschooling.

The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, the first national school choice scholarship program is set to launch in less than three months on January 1st, 2027 and almost all children of school age in at least 30 states will be eligible to apply.

According to regulations proposed last week by President Donald Trump’s administration, the scholarship can help pay for educational expenses related to private school and also homeschooling, something the Tennessee homeschool community adamantly opposes.

A taxpayer-funded incentive for families in participating states, the program is expected to further encourage conservative school choice. Taxpayers will receive a federal tax credit for donating to an organization that passes out the scholarships.

Scholarships will also be available for children who attend public school with funds eligible for tutoring or special education expenses unlike most state programs, including Tennessee’s, which require students to leave public school and make the switch to private.

The program is being set up to make it easier for less wealthy families to apply. If a student participates in a government assistance program, that could be used in lieu of providing documentation of income. Officials have said that foster children would not have to provide any income verification.

In order to get a federal tax credit, taxpayers will be able to donate to a scholarship program in any participating state regardless of whether they themselves live there. Individuals may donate up to a total of $1,700 to receive a dollar for dollar credit. 

Each state that participates will decide how much to give each child depending on student need, and available funds. Families may earn up to three times the area’s median income and still apply for children who are of elementary through high school age.

Sources:

WYFF4.

WATE.

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.