Nashville, TN —Today, the Tennessee Department of Education announced remarkable results from the  Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) Program’s inaugural year. Tennessee’s first-ever universal school choice program has experienced tremendous interest from families across the state, empowering parents with the ability to choose the school that best fits their child’s needs, regardless of income level or zip code.

In the 2025-26 school year, all 20,000 available scholarships were reserved, with 10,000 scholarships reserved for eligible students in a household with a qualified income, and 10,000 universal scholarships available to eligible students regardless of income. Scholarships may be used at more than 240 participating Category I, II, and III non-public schools across the state.

“Thank you to all the families, schools, and partners who engaged throughout the launch and implementation of the program,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education. “The Education Freedom Scholarship Program provides Tennessee families with additional options to find a learning environment that best fits their student’s unique needs. I am thrilled with the success and demand demonstrated in the first year.”

The high demand for the program was apparent within hours of the launch and continued to increase in the following days, resulting in a total of 42,827 applications submitted. Key highlights of program implementation include:

• Families applied for the Qualified and Universal scholarships at a nearly equal rate, demonstrating broad demand for school choice, regardless of income level and demographics.
  • 21,164 applications applied for qualified scholarships
  • 21,663 applications applied for universal scholarships
• Applications were received from families in 94 of 95 counties, highlighting strong interest across the state.
• In accordance with Tennessee law, the department reviewed applications in the order in which they were received. The 20,000 scholarships represent students from 86 counties, with enrollments at 220 out of 241 participating schools, spanning all grade levels.

During the Tennessee General Assembly’s extraordinary legislative session in January 2025, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship Act, Chapter 7 of the Public Acts of 2025, 1st Extraordinary Session, and Governor Bill Lee signed the landmark legislation on February 12, 2025, to establish Tennessee’s universal school choice program into law. The Tennessee EFS Program is also guided by the State Board of Education Rule 0520-01-24.

To learn more about the EFS Program and access additional resources, visit the EFS webpage.

For Tennessee Department of Education media inquiries, contact [email protected]