HB6004 creates a state-funded scholarship program offering up to 20,000 K–12 vouchers for private-school tuition and related expenses. Half are reserved for low-income or otherwise eligible students, while the rest are open to all qualifying applicants. Each scholarship is worth about the same as the state’s base Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) funding and can be used for tuition, tutoring, transportation, and more. Participating private schools must give annual standardized tests in grades 3–11, with results reported to the General Assembly. To protect public schools, the state will maintain prior-year TISA funding for districts losing students to the program. The bill also includes a one-time $2,000 bonus for public school teachers (with local approval) and directs 80% of sports betting tax revenue to school facility upgrades.
The Tennessee State House of Representatives passed HB6004 on January 30, 2025 by a vote of 54 to 43. We have assigned pluses to the nays because, while private and home education are better options, this bill expands government control by funding private schooling with taxpayer dollars—propping up people and institutions the free market would otherwise hold accountable. Government funding always comes with strings, and HB6004 proves this by requiring participating private schools to administer annual standardized tests and report results to the state. This undermines the independence of private education and sets a dangerous precedent. Education is not a legitimate function of government, and using public funds to boost teacher pay by $2,000 to secure buy-in appears more like political leverage than reform. Instead of reducing government’s role in education, this bill grows it—further entrenching a system plagued by academic failure, taxpayer waste, and ideological indoctrination. We urge parents to exit the government school system altogether and seek truly independent alternatives such as homeschooling or private institutions, including FreedomProject Academy, that reject government funding and oversight, and embrace parental rights.
