NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton has pushed to at least double the number of Education Freedom Scholarships, or school vouchers, available in the state next year.

The vouchers, which the General Assembly approved during a special legislative session in January, use public money to pay to send students to private school if their parents choose. Lawmakers budgeted for 20,000 vouchers worth a little more than $7,000 in the program's first year, reserving half for "income-limited" families making less than $173,000 a year, and half for families with any income.

According to the state, almost 42,000 families requested a voucher when the application period opened this past spring. Sexton believes the demand is there to expand the program.

Sexton's office

See Full Page