News Channel 5: State lawmakers renew the push for school vouchers. Here is what is in the proposal.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Just one day after the election, Tennessee legislators filed new language to bring back another school voucher proposal for students statewide.

House Majority Leader William Lamberth and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson introduced the legislation dubbed the Education Freedom Act of 2025. During the last legislative session, neither chamber could reach a compromise. However, $144 million remained in the state budget for vouchers even though it didn’t go into effect.

Similarly to last year’s language, students would receive $7,400 to attend a private school. These vouchers allow families to use public tax dollars to attend the private school of their choice. An analysis of our NewsChannel 5 viewing area shows that 61,000 students attend private schools. The biggest concentration of those schools are in Davidson, Williamson, Sumner, Rutherford and Montgomery Counties. Of the 45 counties we cover, the majority of rural counties don’t have private schools.