Tennessee lawmakers have approved legislation drastically expanding the number of families who can use taxpayer money on private schools regardless of income.

Summary

Tennessee lawmakers approved a major school voucher expansion, allowing 20,000 students—regardless of income—to use taxpayer funds for private schools.

Backed by Gov. Bill Lee and Donald Trump, the plan redirects $400 million in education funds, despite concerns it benefits wealthy families and weakens public schools.

Critics argue most vouchers will go to students already in private schools, and private institutions can reject disabled students.

Protesters and school boards opposed the bill, but GOP leaders defended it as expanding parental choice. The bill now awaits Lee’s signature.

  • iopq@lemmy.world
    0·
    3 days ago

    The costs to educate 2 million students is double that of 1 million students. You can’t just double class sizes when you have more teachers. You need new classrooms and teachers when you have more students.

    So per student you need roughly a constant amount of money. Any student that goes to a private school doesn’t cost the public system money. If you give what they cost to a private school it’s a wash fiscally

    • pwnicholson@lemmy.world
      0·
      3 days ago

      If every student needed the same amount of support, that would be correct. But that is not the case.

      Public school districts are required by law to provide whatever is needed for a student’s education. That even includes some students beyond the age of 18.

      That includes everything from academically gifted students to English language learners to special needs students who require full time, 1x1 caregivers. I’ve personally worked as a substitute teacher in some of those special needs classes.

      All of those specially educators and the facilities needed all cost more than an average general education kindergarten teacher.

      When parents of kids who are average of slightly above average and don’t have a lot of special needs (read: often the more affluent families) pull their kids out, the ratio of kids with more meds changes.

      Again, that extra support is required by laws passed by this same Tennessee legislature.

      And you also ignored the issue of voluntary parent fundraising they is the lifeblood of many schools. That’s a massive gap that is made worse when affluent families pull their kids out.