Education

HB 6004 creates the "Education Freedom Scholarship Act," allowing eligible Tennessee students to use public funds for private school tuition starting in the 2025-2026 school year. It directly affects Tennessee residents in grades K-12 who attend public schools (excluding homeschool or church-related school students), prioritizing lower-income families with household income under 300% of the free/reduced lunch threshold. The program allocates up to 20,000 scholarships annually, with 10,000 reserved for qualifying low-income students and 10,000 available to all eligible applicants, using income-based criteria for allocation. Scholarships are funded through state appropriations and administered by the Tennessee Department of Education.