North Dakota Republican Governor Kelly Armstrong vetoed a bill this week that would have required school districts to keep books determined to be &#8220;sexually explicit&#8221; out of the reach of students, saying that the bill was a &#8220;misguided&#8221; attempt to &#8220;legislate morality.&#8221;
Armstrong on Tuesday vetoed Senate Bill 2307, which would have prohibited school districts from maintaining &#8220;explicit sexual material&#8221; in classrooms and libraries and would allow concerned parents and others to initiate a review of materials they believe may be in violation of the law. In his veto message, Armstrong said that enforcing the bill would be &#8220;unworkable&#8221; and infringed on free speech.
&#8220;While I recognize the concerns that led to its introduction, SB 2307 represents a misguided attempt to legislate morality through overreach and censorship. The bill imposes vague and punitive burdens on professionals and opens the door to a host of unintended and damaging consequences for our communities,&#8221; he <a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SB-2307-veto-message-signed.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
The legislation would have expanded on a <a href="https://legiscan.com/ND/text/HB1205/id/2789486" target="_blank" rel="noopener">law</a> passed in 2023 that barred public libraries from keeping sexually explicit books in their children&#8217;s section. That law also requires public libraries to have a policy in place to keep explicit books out of the children&#8217;s section.
SB 2307 would have expanded those guidelines to school districts, requiring districts to ensure that students were not exposed to sexually explicit material through physical books or online resources offered to them. Districts would also have been mandated to put policies in place to ensure compliance.
The proposal would have created a way for &#8220;interested parties&#8221; to challenge decisions made by schools, and given them an opportunity to appeal to an oversight board and the local state&#8217;s attorney. Local prosecutors would also have been given the power to prosecute for violations of the law.
The governor&#8217;s office told The Daily Wire it had no further comment on the legislation other than the veto message.
In that message, Armstrong called the legislation &#8220;redundant&#8221; and &#8220;overly burdensome,&#8221; saying that it could lead to &#8220;the next literary masterpiece&#8221; being kept out of North Dakota libraries. He also believed it would open up a floodgate of complaints for innocuous books that would bog down library and school officials.
&#8220;In today’s world of social media, streaming services, websites, cable TV and movies where profanity, drug use, violence and nudity are harder to avoid than to find, the amount of time, money and taxpayer resources spent on where a book is placed in a library would be better used elsewhere,” he wrote in his message.
The legislation had passed the Republican-dominated state Senate 27-20 and the House 49-45.
“We are harming our children, that’s all there is to it,” said state Senator Keith Boehm during a hearing on the proposal. “The bill is all about protecting kids from this material. It has nothing against adults.”
The issue of sexually explicit books has been a major concern across the country as parents have rallied to protect their kids from graphic material at both public and school libraries.
Armstrong also <a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/briefs/armstrong-vetoes-north-dakota-private-school-voucher-bill-but-signals-support-for-competing-bill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vetoed another</a> Republican-backed piece of legislation this week. On Wednesday, he vetoed a school choice proposal that would have created Education Savings Accounts for private school students. The governor said that the bill failed to &#8220;deliver the school choice North Dakota needs, especially in rural areas where nonpublic school options are few and far between.” He asked lawmakers to send him a bill that would provide education vouchers to a broader swath of students.

Postmaster General DeJoy Testifies Before House Oversight Committee

GOP Governor Vetoes Bill Meant To Shield Kids From ‘Sexually Explicit’ Books At School

Education

gender ideology

North Dakota

Politics

School Choice

School Library

School choice is almost a reality in Texas after the state House of Representatives voted Thursday morning to approve the $1 billion voucher program.
In a process that dragged on overnight and into the early morning hours, the state House voted 85-63 to move the school choice bill along, with only two Republicans voting no, all but securing its passage. While the legislation still has to clear some legislative hurdles before it is sent to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott&#8217;s desk, Republicans, including President Donald Trump, are already celebrating the school choice victory.
&#8220;Congratulations to my friends, Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Speaker Dustin Burrows, along with Texas Legislators, for finally passing SCHOOL CHOICE, which I strongly endorsed – this is a gigantic Victory for students and parents in the Great State of Texas!&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114353467767721095" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;We will very soon be sending Education BACK TO ALL THE STATES, where it belongs. It is our goal to bring Education in the United States to the highest level, one that it has never attained before. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
The school choice package, referred to as the Education Savings Account (ESA) program, would set aside $10,000 per year for most Texas students who attend an accredited private school, the Austin American-Statesman <a href="https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2025/02/06/school-voucher-texas-senate-bill-sb-2-choice-public-private-homeschool-impact-students-parents/78283012007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Students with disabilities attending an accredited private school would receive $11,500 per year, while homeschooling families would receive $2,000 per year for each child to use on qualifying educational expenses. Texas lawmakers included a requirement in the package that recipients of the ESA program be American citizens or people lawfully residing in the United States.
Gov. Abbott has vowed to sign the bill when it comes to his desk.
&#8220;For the first time in Texas history, our state has passed a universal school choice bill. This is an extraordinary victory!&#8221; Abbott <a href="https://x.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1912767715460403481" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X Thursday morning.
&#8220;From rural communities to big cities, school choice will open doors in every region of our state,&#8221; Abbott <a href="https://x.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1912710323112403220" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in another post. &#8220;Every child in Texas deserves the education path that works best for them.&#8221;
The massive voucher program would be capped at $1 billion in its first year, but after that, it could grow up to $4.5 billion per year by 2030, according to The New York Times. The money for the ESA program will come from a different pot than the money used by the state to fund public schools, according to Abbott. The state House also voted on Wednesday to boost public school funding to $8 billion.
Lt. Gov. Patrick estimates that around 90,000 Texas students will participate in the ESA program. However, if demand for the vouchers exceeds the state&#8217;s funding for the program, children from low-income families and those with disabilities will be prioritized, The Dallas Morning News <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2025/04/17/school-choice-plan-clears-historic-hurdle-with-texas-house-approval/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The Texas school choice bill was mostly supported by conservatives and opposed by Democrats and teachers unions, who fear that the program will harm public education and divert money away from public schools, which will still be responsible for educating most of Texas&#8217;s students. Opponents of the bill also argue that the ESA program will mostly benefit parents who already send their children to private schools.
School choice advocates are celebrating major wins across the country, including in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Most recently, Tennessee <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-passes-school-choice-milestone-in-advancing-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> a school choice program after a years-long fight.

Greg Abbott

Texas On The Verge Of School Choice Plan With Support From Trump

Texas

U.S.

The Club For Growth is launching two efforts to back school choice measures in Indiana and North Dakota, the organization told The Daily Wire. 
The organization launched the campaign with ads that aired during the Sunday morning political shows. The campaign comes as President Donald Trump has pushed to dismantle the Education Department and put individual states in charge of education.
“School freedom is the defining civil rights issue of the generation and is only continuing to expand across the country,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh told The Daily Wire. “With the additions of Indiana and North Dakota, Club for Growth has now engaged in 10 states working to pass and protect education freedom in 2025.” 
The North Dakota campaign urges lawmakers to pass legislation that would create an education scholarship program for private schools. Currently, multiple proposals are making their way through the statehouse that would provide parents with education vouchers. The House and Senate have passed two different pieces of legislation that create education scholarship programs with significant structural differences. 
“From crops to crude to championships, North Dakota’s hard to top,” the Club for Growth ad says. “But when it comes to choice in education, we’re 48th in the nation. Legislators in Bismarck can change that with new legislation providing education savings accounts for North Dakota kids, giving parents the freedom to choose the right school for their child.” 
That ad will run Monday through Friday on Fox News and conservative radio in Bismarck. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&quot;Hard to Top&quot; Club for Growth Ad (ND)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KYaF6fHGmhM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
In Indiana, the Club for Growth ad is urging lawmakers to back Governor Mike Braun’s school choice proposal. Braun has proposed making every student in Indiana eligible for education vouchers. 
“Parents are in charge of their own kids&#8217; education,” Braun says in the ad, which will air on Fox in Indianapolis Monday through Friday. “Let&#8217;s put parents in the driver’s seat with universal school choice.” 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&quot;One&quot; Club for Growth Ad (IN)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VvACIAWhNn8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The Club for Growth backed school choice measures that became law in Tennessee, Wyoming, and Idaho. It is currently backing efforts in multiple other states, including Georgia, Texas, and South Carolina. 
“The status quo forced upon families by teacher union bureaucrats and the public school monopoly is indefensible — we will not stop until every parent has the opportunity to provide their children with the quality education they deserve,” McIntosh said.

An empty classroom with chairs, desks, and a green chalkboard, illuminated by sunlight, evoking education concept. 3D Rendering

EXCLUSIVE: Conservative Org Launches Campaign To Pass School Choice In Two Red States

Donald Trump

Indiana

The Club for Growth is rolling out an extensive TV and print campaign in support of a school choice proposal making its way through the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/wyoming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wyoming</a> legislature, the organization told The Daily Wire. 
A new TV ad from the organization urges lawmakers in the State Senate to pass the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act, a bill that would allow parents to receive a $7,000 scholarship to help pay for tuition at private schools. The ad, which began playing on statewide political shows on Sunday, will run Monday through Friday on news channels in Cheyenne, the state&#8217;s most populous city. 
“A child&#8217;s future should be shaped by dreams not districts. Their dreams start with choice,” the narrator in the TV spot says. “No red tape, no limits, just the best education for your child. It&#8217;s choice, it&#8217;s opportunity, it&#8217;s freedom. Because their future shouldn&#8217;t be decided by district, but by you. Tell the Senate, ‘pass House Bill 199.’”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&quot;Dreams&quot; Club for Growth Ad (WY)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oESVsg7Wcxc?start=20&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The <a href="https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2025/HB0199" target="_blank" rel="noopener">legislation</a> passed the Wyoming House at the end of last month in a 39-21 vote, and has been sitting in the Senate after it was received for introduction on January 30. 
The Wyoming Senate is dominated by Republicans, who have a 29-2 majority. Club for Growth is looking to target 15 senators with phone calls to urge them to support the legislation. 
There will also be print ads backing the proposal featured in the Saturday editions of the Casper Star-Tribune and the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
The current version of the legislation, introduced by Republican Rep. Ocean Andrew, would allow anyone of any income to apply for the $7,000 scholarship, and doesn’t require statewide testing for scholarship recipients. The scholarships would be available on a first come, first served basis depending on how much funding is made available by the legislature. The expected cost per year is around $44 million. 
Schools that accept scholarship students would have to ensure that they provide “instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, civics, including studies of the United States constitution and the constitution of the state of Wyoming, history, literature and science,” according to the text of the bill. 
The bill removes restrictions on eligibility that were <a href="https://wyofile.com/gordon-narrows-education-savings-account-income-eligibility-signs-bill-into-law/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">put in place</a> last year by Governor Mark Gordon after the legislature passed a more limited school choice proposal. 
A majority of voters in Wyoming support the proposal, <a href="https://www.clubforgrowth.org/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2025/02/CfG_WYFreedomScholarshipAct_PollingMemo.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a recent poll conducted by WPA Intelligence. Overall, 51% of voters support the bill, with 54% of Republicans and 56% of unaffiliated voters in support. A strong majority (68%) of Democrats oppose the legislation. 
Earlier this year, the Club for Growth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/conservative-org-launches-push-to-get-school-choice-across-finish-line-in-tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backed</a> a successful effort in Tennessee to pass school choice legislation and the organization has also helped back primary challenges to Republican school choice opponents in both Texas and Tennessee. 
Promoting school choice has been a top priority for President Donald Trump as he seeks to bring dramatic reforms to the Department of Education. Last month, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-first-white-house-roundtable-to-highlight-school-choice-with-top-gop-govs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hosted a roundtable</a> with Republican governors to discuss legislative efforts to promote school choice.

Wyoming state capitol building

EXCLUSIVE: Conservative Group Launches School Choice Campaign In Wyoming

Department of Education

Wyoming

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/betsy-devos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Betsy DeVos</a>, who served as Secretary of Education during President Donald Trump&#8217;s first term, is calling for her former workplace to be shuttered.
Trump is reportedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-department-of-education-may-be-on-the-chopping-block-what-could-that-look-like" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-department-of-education-may-be-on-the-chopping-block-what-could-that-look-like&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1738962061046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0A8kFzr-XoNWJWnG4Hl7Js">preparing</a> to sign an executive order that would gut the Education Department’s core functions, as well as call on Congress to work on eliminating it altogether. The department has already placed dozens of staffers on leave.
In an <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/betsy-devos-shut-down-the-department-of-education-trump-elon" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.thefp.com/p/betsy-devos-shut-down-the-department-of-education-trump-elon&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1738962061046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3S4IZH_sGXEHWS9nPKJzch">op-ed</a> published Thursday by The Free Press, DeVos acknowledged that the idea may sound &#8220;a bit radical.&#8221;
&#8220;But having spent four years on the inside as secretary of education, struggling to get the department’s bureaucracy to make even the smallest changes to put the needs of students first, I can say conclusively that American students will be better off without,&#8221; she wrote.
She noted that the latest Nation’s Report Card, which came out last week, shows students even further behind in reading and math than they were in 2019.
About seven in 10 fourth-graders <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g4_8/?grade=4" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g4_8/?grade%3D4&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1738962061046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2LOZTKhvYO3vKP3mSTc7kY">do not</a> read at grade level, and six in 10 fourth-graders are <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1738962061046000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2eQpPHNYbQUoME8mMXhIp5">behind</a> in math, the data show.
Also, the gaps between the highest and lowest performing students are &#8220;as wide as they have ever been, and by many measures, even wider,&#8221; DeVos said. The lowest performing fourth- and eighth-graders&#8217; scores sank in 2022 and even further last year.
DeVos also pointed out that the Education Department does not actually do much educating.
&#8220;Nothing could be more important to our success as a nation than having well-educated citizens,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But don’t be fooled by the name: the Department of Education has almost nothing to do with actually educating anyone.&#8221;
The department does not run any schools or set curricula, and in most states, it makes up a small percentage of K-12 public school funding.
&#8220;So what does it do? It shuffles money around; adds unnecessary requirements and political agendas via its grants; and then passes the buck when it comes time to assess if any of that adds value,&#8221; DeVos said.
&#8220;The only certain benefactor of the DOE’s existence is its patron saint: the teachers unions,&#8221; she added.
During the Biden administration, the department focused on canceling student loans, reinterpreted Title IX to favor trans-identifying males, and caused delays in aid for families when it tried to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, DeVos said.
She recommended the department send education funding straight to states and schools as a block grant, let the Justice Department enforce civil rights law, and give the student loan program to financial institutions rather than education bureaucrats.
&#8220;While it is true that no federal agency has ever seen its doors closed, there must be a first for everything. On the merits, the Department of Education has earned such a historic distinction,&#8221; she said.

Senate HELP Committee Considers Betsy DeVos To Be Education Secretary

Betsy DeVos Calls For Education Department To Be Shut Down

Betsy DeVos

Public Schools

During a legislative special session on Thursday, the Tennessee Senate passed the <a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Education Freedom Act of 2025</a> by a vote of <a href="https://www.wbir.com/article/news/education/tennessee-senate-on-universal-school-voucher-program-propsal/51-a16d86f9-3499-41d8-9a7b-f2f06a9bc4a3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20 to 13</a>. The bill had passed the House <a href="https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/tennessee-house-passes-amended-universal-school-voucher-bill/51-10d2cbf2-c8bc-4dae-a1f0-cca50d5ab8bc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">54 to 44</a> earlier in the day. It now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature. With the stroke of Gov. Bill Lee’s pen, Tennessee will become the 13th state in the nation to enact universal (or near-universal) school choice.
While it’s not official yet, there is no question regarding whether Gov. Lee will sign the bill into law. He has been an enthusiastic education freedom champion and called the Tennessee General Assembly for a <a href="https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2025/1/15/gov--lee-announces-special-session-to-begin-january-27.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">special session</a> with the purpose of passing the Education Freedom Act. Last month, Gov. Lee <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GmEmon6DcE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, “When it comes to education, more freedom is what our children need to succeed. That means empowering parents with school choice…. that’s why we need to pass the Education Freedom Act in Tennessee.”
<a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Gov. Lee</a>, “Education has the power to change the trajectory of a child’s life, and every Tennessee child deserves to attend the school that fits their unique needs — regardless of income or zip code.”
The Tennessee Education Freedom website <a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explains</a>, “The Education Freedom Act will extend school choice to every family across rural and urban Tennessee, putting parents at the forefront of their child’s education so that students find the best school for their needs to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”
The education scholarship amount will <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB0001.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">equal the state base funding</a> amount per student, which is around $7,000. The <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB0001.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funds can be used toward</a> private school tuition and fees. If funds remain, they can be allocated toward required school textbooks, curricula, instructional materials, uniforms, tutoring services, school transportation fees, educational technology, test fees, early postsecondary courses, and educational therapies for qualifying students. Under this act, students must be enrolled in a private school to participate.
The universal school choice program will be implemented in two steps. During the <a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025-2026 school year</a>, 20,000 scholarships will be available for students, with half of those directed toward students from households at or below 300% of the income for free or reduced-price lunch, students with a disability, or those already eligible for an existing Tennessee education savings account program. All students statewide are eligible to participate starting in the <a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2026-2027 school year</a>.
Beyond the private school scholarships, the Education Freedom Act also includes a <a href="https://tneducationfreedom.com/#list-with-large-icons-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$2,000 bonus</a> for all 86,000 public school teachers in the state.
Despite cries from the opposition, the school choice program will not harm public school finances. According to Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland) on the House floor on Thursday, Tennessee will continue to spend <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woqswb_O7p8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$7 billion annually</a> on K-12 public education.
Thanks to Gov. Lee’s steadfast commitment to education freedom for Tennesseans, the parents of <a href="https://www.tn.gov/education/about-the-tdoe.html#:~:text=The%20Tennessee%20Department%20of%20Education%20serves%20over,to%20provide%20the%20best%20for%20all%20students." target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 900,000 K-12 public school children</a> and <a href="https://www.privateschoolreview.com/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over 115,000 private school students</a> will soon be empowered with school choice.
Tennessee will join the universal school choice ranks with Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, and West Virginia.
Now, eyes turn to Texas as well as Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming. With a <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/State_government_trifectas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican trifecta</a> in each of these states, it’s time for their lawmakers to advance universal education freedom. 
As education freedom states reap the far-reaching academic, workforce development, economic, and societal benefits of a free market K-12 education environment, other states will be forced to take notice. Lawmakers in those states will have to decide if they will double down with the teacher unions in trapping children in failing schools — to the detriment of their state’s future — or empower the parents. By advancing laws that allow education funding to follow students, lawmakers will support parents and the general public, who, <a href="https://www.edchoice.org/engage/support-for-school-choice-policies-remains-high/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by majority, support school choice</a>.
With each state to pass universal school choice, the tide is turning toward a better and brighter future for America because nothing will impact the future of our country more than the education of the next generation.
So, which state will be number 14? Republican governors, it’s time to rally your lawmakers toward education freedom victory.
* * *
Dr. Keri D. Ingraham is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute, Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, and a Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

US-REPUBLICAN-CONVENTION-PARTIES-ELECTION-POLITICS-VOTE

With Gov. Lee’s Signature, Tennessee Will Become 13th State To Enact Universal School Choice

Bill Lee

Charter Schools

Opinion

Private Schools

Tennessee

The White House will host a Friday roundtable on school choice with top Republican governors amid sweeping victories on the issue across the country, The Daily Wire has learned.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who spearheaded a major victory for school choice in her state after taking office, will moderate the National School Choice Week Roundtable at noon on Friday, according to a White House official. Also at the table will be Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee, where the legislature just <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-passes-school-choice-milestone-in-advancing-education">passed a universal school choice bill</a>, and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick of Texas, where <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/24/texas-senate-school-choice-vouchers-education-savings-accounts/">school choice legislation is also expected to pass</a>.
“The White House is excited to honor National School Choice Week with this roundtable,&#8221; a senior White House official told The Daily Wire. &#8220;President Donald Trump wants parents throughout the nation to be empowered to direct their children’s education.”
Universal school choice is a policy that gives parents access to public money to use towards a wide range of education options for their children, including private schools. Currently, three major bills on the topic are poised to become law in Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. Twelve states already <a href="https://americafirstpolicy.com/issues/the-unprecedented-rise-in-school-choice-a-new-era-in-american-education#:~:text=SCHOOL%20CHOICE%20WINS%20RECAP&amp;text=Tennessee%2C%20Utah%2C%20Vermont%2C%20Virginia,Washington%2C%20D.C.%2C%20allow%20charters.">offer</a> universal school choice: Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Utah, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and North Carolina.
Republican governors Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Jeff Landry of Louisiana will be in attendance at the roundtable on Friday, which will take place in the Roosevelt Room, according to the White House official.
The roundtable comes two days after Trump signed an executive order on school choice, ordering his administration to develop a plan for how federal funds can be used to &#8220;expand education freedom for America&#8217;s families.&#8221;
&#8220;Parents want and deserve the best education for their children,&#8221; Trump said in the order. &#8220;But too many children do not thrive in their assigned, government-run K-12 school. It is the policy of my Administration to support parents in choosing and directing the upbringing and education of their children.&#8221;
Other expected attendees include Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and his wife Erika Donalds of the America First Policy Institute, Archdiocese of New York Chancellor John Cahill, Susquehanna International Group&#8217;s (SIG) Jeff Yass, and American Legislative Exchange Council&#8217;s Jonathan Williams.
Trump has consistently advocated for school choice in his time on the campaign trail and in government, emphasizing that he wants every American parent to be &#8220;empowered to send their child to public, private, charter, or faith-based school of their choice.&#8221;
&#8220;A child’s fate should be determined by their love of education, by their parents, by so many factors,&#8221; he said on the campaign trail in 2024. &#8220;But it can’t be determined by a ZIP code. And no parent should be forced to send their child to a failing government-run school.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_868671" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/donald-trump-emphasizes-need-for-fast-confirmations-in-wake-of-tragic-plane-crash/us-politics-trump-aviation-accident-2" rel="attachment wp-att-868671"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-868671" class="wp-image-868671 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2196128096-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2196128096-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2196128096-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2196128096-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2196128096-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2196128096-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2196128096-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/GettyImages-2196128096-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Photo by OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP via Getty Images</div>
He also promised last year:  “I will support UNIVERSAL SCHOOL CHOICE. We will let federal education dollars follow the child instead of propping up a woke federal bureaucracy.”
During the 2016 presidential election, he similarly promised to establish a national goal of &#8220;providing school choice to every American child living in poverty.&#8221;
&#8220;If we can put a man on the moon, dig out the Panama Canal and win two world wars, then I have no doubt that we as a nation can provide school choice to every disadvantaged child in America,” he added in September 2016.
The roundtable will likely dive into some of the top legislation on school choice making headlines around the country.
That includes the Education Freedom Act, which <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-passes-school-choice-milestone-in-advancing-education">passed the Tennessee House</a> on Wednesday and the Senate on Thursday, and would award over $7,000 per child to parents for those children to attend a K-12 private school.
In Texas, legislation <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/24/texas-senate-school-choice-vouchers-education-savings-accounts/">expected to pass soon</a> would allow universal school choice eligibility immediately, serving as many as 100,000 students in the first year and giving parents $10,000 for private schools, $11,500 for special needs students, and $2,000 for homeschool students.
In Wyoming, the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act <a href="https://wyofile.com/universal-school-voucher-bill-advances-amid-questions-of-accountability-constitutionality/">passed the House on Wednesday</a> and is expected to pass the Senate. That bill would give parents $7,000 per year for every student.

TOPSHOT-US-WEATHER-SNOW

EXCLUSIVE: White House Roundtable To Highlight School Choice With Top GOP Govs

EXCLUSIVE: First White House Roundtable To Highlight School Choice With Top GOP Govs

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

White House

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> legislature approved a school choice bill on Thursday, sending the long-sought legislation to Governor Bill Lee’s desk to be signed into law.
The bill, the Education Freedom Act, is a key victory for the governor after efforts to pass the legislation last year fell short. The state General Assembly passed the bill in a 54 to 44 vote on Thursday, a day after the Senate approved it 20 to 13, according to <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/30/tennessee-school-vouchers-republicans-pass-447m-program/78051836007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Tennessean</a>.
“I&#8217;ve long believed we can have the best public schools &amp; give parents a choice in their child&#8217;s education, regardless of income or zip code. Today is a milestone in advancing education in TN,” Lee said in a statement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
TN just passed the Education Freedom Act to deliver Universal School Choice!
I&#39;ve long believed we can have the best public schools &amp; give parents a choice in their child&#39;s education, regardless of income or zip code.
Today is a milestone in advancing education in TN. <a href="https://t.co/HiwWbxr9od">pic.twitter.com/HiwWbxr9od</a>
&mdash; Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovBillLee/status/1885080591181222042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The bill will have limited impact at first and ramp up in later years. For the 2025-2026 school year under the bill, the state will <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/is-this-the-year-tennessee-wins-on-school-choice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offer</a> 20,000 scholarships of about $7,300 each. Parents can apply for the scholarship and use the funds toward tuition, books, and other education-related expenses. Half of the scholarships will have an income requirement to be eligible.
The program will grow by 5,000 additional scholarships offered in the 2026-2027 school year. Both public and private school attendees are eligible to apply.
“It is estimated that 7,000 … scholarships will be awarded to public school students and 13,000 will be awarded to private school students in FY25-26. It is assumed that scholarships will continue to be awarded on a 65/35 basis in FY26-27 and subsequent years,” the legislature projected in an <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/FM0013.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> of the bill.
The bill also promises that school districts will not see a drop in state funding even if they see a drop in students next year. The legislation also approves a one-time bonus to teachers of $2,000.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump publicly backed the push for school choice in Tennessee.
“We will very soon be sending Education BACK TO THE STATES, where it belongs. It is our goal to bring Education in the United States to the highest level, one that it has never attained before. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” the president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113907637484810162" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social.
The bill received some bipartisan pushback, but the GOP supermajority in the Tennessee legislature overcame the criticism. The final vote on the legislation in the General Assembly came after over four hours of debate.

Tennessee Passes School Choice: ‘Milestone In Advancing Education’

It is National School Choice Week in America, and the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam scores were released on Wednesday. The horrifically low student academic performance scores make the undeniable case that American government-run K-12 education is an epic failure.
According to the NAEP results provided by The Nation’s Report Card, <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g4_8/?grade=4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">69% of fourth-grade students</a> and <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g4_8/?grade=8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">70% of eighth-grade students</a> aren’t proficient at reading — that’s only 3 out of 10 schoolchildren learning to read soundly. When students can’t read at grade level, it significantly hinders their other academic learning.
The NAEP math scores similarly confirm that a change of course in K-12 education is desperately needed. An astonishing <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/?grade=4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">61% of fourth-grade students</a> and <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/?grade=8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">72% of eighth-grade students</a> aren’t proficient in math.
As a nation, we can no longer justify restricting children to these failing schools for their education. Nor can the ever-increasing astronomical spending — well over<a href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/public-school-spending-per-pupil.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> $850 billion</a> annually — on the public education system continue to support the status quo. Change is urgently needed. And that change will require competition.
As Andy Puzder, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5102389-trump-andrew-puzder-fast-food-chain-ceo-eu-ambassador/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">President Trump’s nomination for U.S. Ambassador to the European Union</a>, recently <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IyfK6emqCA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a>, “Competition is the only thing that increases quality and decreases price.” It’s the basics of a free market, which is long overdue in K-12 education in the United States.
With the 2025 legislative sessions now underway in almost all states and Congress, there is an opportunity to enact critically needed school choice laws. Bills should be put forth from all angles to provide parents access to alternative educational avenues from the government-run, teacher union-controlled public education monopoly.
This year, several red states will work to pass new school choice programs or expand eligibility for existing programs. Since 2021, a dozen states — <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/11/17/opinion/why-trump-was-the-candidate-for-educational-freedom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">11 of which had a Republican trifecta at the time</a> — have signed universal or near-universal school choice into law. Thirteen <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/State_government_trifectas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republican trifecta states</a> have yet to pass widespread school choice programs. This is the year several of those states have a shot at successfully setting all families statewide free to select an education alternative from the public school system.
While the state-level universal education freedom wins are happening in red states for now, parents living in purple and blue states must be empowered with educational options for their children. Congress passing the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/9462/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Educational Choice for Children Act</a> would be a critical step forward in this effort. The Act would allow up to two million students to receive a scholarship from a non-profit granting organization. According to the <a href="https://investineducation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Invest in Education</a> website, “Scholarships would be funded with private donations, not federal dollars, and donors would receive a federal tax credit.”
Additionally, at the federal level, on Inauguration Day, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) <a href="https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-rep-hern-introduce-school-choice-legislation-prioritizing-the-right-to-a-quality-education-for-every-child" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> the <a href="https://www.cruz.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/student_empowerment_act_20251.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Student Empowerment Act</a> to expand the allowed usage of 529 tax-deferred education savings plan funds. That would include usage for <a href="https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-rep-hern-introduce-school-choice-legislation-prioritizing-the-right-to-a-quality-education-for-every-child" target="_blank" rel="noopener">educational expenses</a> beyond tuition, such as “school curriculum, books, tutoring, testing fees,” and educational therapies for students with disabilities. Parents could use their 529 funds for the qualifying K-12 educational expenses regardless of whether their student is enrolled in a public or private school, or homeschool.
U.S. Representative Kevin Hern (R-OK), a co-sponsor of the bill, <a href="https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-rep-hern-introduce-school-choice-legislation-prioritizing-the-right-to-a-quality-education-for-every-child" target="_blank" rel="noopener">commented</a> that “Expanding 529 accounts is a game-changer for education, giving students, workers, and families the freedom and opportunity they deserve, whether that’s in a traditional classroom setting or homeschool. It’s time to make education more affordable and meet the evolving needs of our workforce.”
Beyond private school choice and homeschooling, parents must also have choices within the public school system. That should come in the form of states passing open enrollment laws allowing students to enroll in a different public district school within (intra-district) and outside of (inter-district) their residential assignment as space allows. Zip code must not bind a student to a certain public school. That’s not how other taxpayer-funded government services, such as public parks and libraries, work.
Public charter schools, magnet schools, and other choice schools are no different, and laws must be enacted at the state level that allow families to select these schools. Laws must also not restrict growing the supply of these sought-after public school options.
The education of our future generation is too important to allow the public education monopoly to continue to trap children in failing schools, robbing them of their future. It’s past time for the market forces of competition to reign in America’s K-12 education environment — increasing quality and decreasing price. As a nation, we must keep advancing school choice through all means. Our children deserve nothing less than access to a high-quality education.
* * *
<a href="https://www.discovery.org/p/ingraham/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Keri D. Ingraham</a> is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute, Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, and a Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Students taking test in class

New National Test Scores Make Undeniable Case For School Choice

Children

Elementary Schools

K-12

Schools

Ted Cruz

Testing

Tennessee Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Lee</a> announced Wednesday that he would convene a special session of the state’s General Assembly to consider public safety and immigration legislation to prepare the state for the incoming Trump administration. 
The announcement did not say what specific immigration legislation would be considered, but noted that “the incoming Trump Administration has called on states to prepare for policy implementation.” The special session will also focus on a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/is-this-the-year-tennessee-wins-on-school-choice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school choice</a> proposal backed by Lee, and Hurricane Helene disaster relief. 
“The Tennessee General Assembly will consider public safety measures related to immigration to ensure the state is prepared for federal policy implementation,” the governor’s office said in a statement. “Last year, Gov. Lee directed key state agencies to begin making preparations and stand ready on Day One of the Trump Administration to support efforts to secure our Nation’s borders and keep communities safe.”
Lee’s call comes after Governor Ron DeSantis said Monday that Florida would have a special session to ready the state to implement Trump&#8217;s planned crackdown on illegal immigration. Following the announcement, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-praises-desantis-for-leading-on-his-agenda-urges-other-governors-to-follow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> DeSantis, saying that “hopefully other Governors will follow!”
In a joint statement, Lee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, and House Majority Leader William Lamberth said that they would focus on making sure the state had the resources to aid Trump. 
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“Finally, the American people elected President Trump with a mandate to enforce immigration laws and protect our communities, and Tennessee must have the resources ready to support the Administration on Day One,” they said. 
Trump’s plans reportedly include building the border wall, constructing facilities to hold migrants, imposing new asylum restrictions, reimplementing Title 42, and authorizing local law enforcement and state law enforcement to assist ICE.
Tennessee lawmakers will also consider the “Education Freedom Scholarship Act,” which would create 20,000 scholarships of around $7,000 that can be used for tuition at private schools. The legislation was introduced by Johnson in the Senate and Lamberth in the House. 
Lee also asked the legislature to add $240 million in funding to the state’s Disaster Relief Grant fund, create a $110 million Hurricane Helene Interest fund, fund $100 million for Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund, and allocate $20 million to rebuild a Tennessee destroyed by the hurricane.
&#8220;In this special session, we will ensure the state is best positioned to coordinate with federal, state, and local law enforcement to implement the Trump Administration&#8217;s plan to enforce the federal immigration laws on the books,&#8221; said Lee spokeswoman Elizabeth Johnson. &#8220;President Trump has made it clear that states will play a major role in partnering with his Administration to make our communities safer. Tennessee is heeding the call.&#8221;

Border Security Remains Key Issue In Presidential Campaigns

Tennessee To Look At Implementing Trump’s Immigration Agenda In Special Session

Florida

Illegal Immigration

Ron DeSantis

2024 was supposed to be the year that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> enacted <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/school-choice">school choice</a> with Republicans in full control of the legislature and governor’s office. But it fell short. 
Nearly everyone publicly supported school choice in principle, but the Senate and House came into the last legislative session with dramatically different school choice bills. They never came to a consensus on the bill’s final language, and the clock ran out. As lawmakers gather on Tuesday for the start of this year’s session, they have renewed optimism based on lessons learned. 
In November, Republican leadership in the House and Senate introduced <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0001.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">identical legislation</a>, known as the “Education Freedom Scholarship Act,” backed by Republican Governor Bill Lee that will create 20,000 scholarships of around $7,000 that can be used for tuition at private schools. 
In an interview on school choice with The Daily Wire, Lee said he thinks the proposal should be an easy sell to Tennesseeans across the state.
“The fundamental idea that every child is different and every parent ought to have the best option for their kid. It transcends zip codes and economics, it ought to be for every family, it ought to be for every parent, it ought to be universal,” Lee told The Daily Wire. 
Both Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, who represents an area with some of the best public schools in the state, and House Education Chair Rep. Mark White, who represents an area with some of the worst, told The Daily Wire that they were in support of school choice policies. 
&#8220;Nobody would be happy if you lived in a neighborhood where you only had one grocery store to go to or one shopping center,” White said. “We go to other grocery stores or other businesses because there’s competition which gives us better prices and better performance and better customer service.” 
Johnson said that there was broad support among his colleagues to increase options for parents, adding that he was “cautiously optimistic” that the General Assembly would get the school choice legislation passed this session. He said that there had been productive conversations with both the House and governor’s office. 
“I think that the stage is set for us to get something passed. That’s not a promise, but it is the way I see the landscape right now,” Johnson said. 
White said that the proposal from Lamberth and Johnson could be subject to change as the session begins. He said that lawmakers were currently giving their feedback on the proposed legislation. He added that the legislature hoped to take up the issue first and said they would then vote it up or down based on its merits. 
The specific <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0001.pdf">proposal</a> would create 20,000 scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year worth an estimated $7,295 that parents could apply for and use for things like tuition at private schools and textbooks. Half of the scholarships would be reserved for students in households with annual incomes of less than 300% of the amount needed to qualify for free or reduced lunch. The second 10,000 would be universally open. 
If implemented, the program would create scholarship opportunities for about 2% of Tennessee&#8217;s one million school-aged children. 
In the second year, an additional 5,000 scholarships could be made available if 75% of the available scholarships are taken the previous year. In this year, the scholarships are prioritized based on current recipients and income levels if there is more demand than supply. 
The scholarships could be used at any accredited school in Tennessee. A student unable to prove legal residency in the state would be denied use of the scholarship.  
Scholarship recipients would have to be administered a nationally standardized achievement test or the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program. Lee said that all schools that would be participating in the program were already giving these kinds of tests. 
Additionally, the legislation would also stipulate that 80% of the revenue collected by the state from sports gambling would go toward the “maintenance and construction” of public school buildings and give all current public school teachers a one-time $2,000 bonus. 
The proposal is already causing debate in Tennessee
Polling conducted by the Beacon Center of Tennessee <a href="https://www.beacontn.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Crosstabs-Party-Voting-History-January-2025.pdf">indicates</a> that 67% of registered voters in the state support expanding Tennessee&#8217;s current school choice program. The poll surveyed 540 Republicans, 288 Democrats, and 372 independent voters. 
Conservative groups like the Club for Growth have already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/conservative-org-launches-push-to-get-school-choice-across-finish-line-in-tennessee">announced</a> plans to support the initiative while organizations like Public School Strong TN are <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/opposition-lee-school-voucher-town-hall/">calling</a> the legislation a “scam.” 
Provisions have been added to counter concerns that the legislation would bring ruin to public schools.
One guarantees that public schools would not lose state funding based on disenrollment from their schools. Johnson said he did not foresee a “mass exodus” from any public school, but said he didn’t oppose the provision if it would reassure local school districts. 
White told The Daily Wire he had questions about that particular provision and said he wanted “more clarity” on it himself.  
”We need to look at that carefully because if you’re losing a student it may be because of choice and no fault of the school system that they’re coming from,” he said. “But also I don’t want to falsely prop up a failing school or a failing system by continuing to give them money if they are losing students for the wrong reason. That is something that I have questions about as we go back into session.” 
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When asked by The Daily Wire about that provision, Lee said it’s highly unlikely any school would be losing students given the population increase in nearly every county in the state.
“For all future students that are coming here, the public school and the private schools will be competing for those students,” Lee said. “They will be competing for future funding. They’re not going to lose funding as they move forward now, but they certainly will compete for future students. That is what makes schools better,” Lee said.
The governor pushed back on a <a href="https://fox17.com/news/crisis-in-the-classroom/governor-lee-says-voucher-pilot-program-students-doing-better-than-peers-data-shows-different" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent article</a> highlighting data showing that students on the pilot program in Davidson, Shelby, and Hamilton counties were less proficient in math and English compared to the rest of the state. 
Lee said it was not fair to compare low-income inner-city students coming out of failing schools with high-income suburban students across the state. He pointed out that in Shelby County — home to Memphis — students who attended private schools on scholarships had a <a href="https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/esa/2023-24_ESA%20Annual%20Report.pdf">higher proficiency </a>rate in English than their public school counterparts, and were tied in math. 
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Others have raised concerns about the potential for encroachment on private schools if they participate in the program. Johnson said he did not believe that this was a valid concern, saying that the General Assembly would not use it as a “backdoor” mechanism to start regulating private schools.
“The last thing we want to do is go out and start turning these private schools and making them run the same way we run our public schools, that would certainly defeat the purpose,” he said. 
Lee pointed to a provision on school autonomy. 
“The creation of the education freedom scholarship program does not expand the regulatory authority of this state, the officers of this state, or the authority of any [local education agency] to impose any additional rules, regulations, or requirements on private schools that enroll recipients beyond the rules narrowly tailored to enforce the requirements of the program,” the legislation says. 
Lee says the highest priority should be maximizing student achievement and parental satisfaction, not protecting the public system that is letting some kids down.
“We have to do something to challenge the status quo, we have to do something to provide a better opportunity for our children,” Lee said.
With the legislature meeting today, there has been talk that a special session may be convened to ensure the focus is on passing this legislation. While Republicans seem more unified than last year, the ghosts of last year’s failure have the bill’s backers insistent that it’s the first item on this session’s agenda.

EPA Administrator Regan Visits Florida To Highlight Funding For New Clean School Buses

Is This The Year Tennessee Wins On School Choice?

The Club for Growth will back a new school voucher proposal backed by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, the organization told The Daily Wire on Friday. 
The organization said that it would be rolling out a major TV and digital advocacy campaign in favor of Lee’s latest school choice proposal, which includes 20,000 scholarships that can be used for tuition at private schools. The Club for Growth is a free enterprise advocacy group that backs limited government.  
“Club for Growth and our affiliated organizations will be supporting Gov. Lee’s school freedom legislation with a major advocacy campaign including TV and digital ads,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh told The Daily Wire. “This is a continuation of our School Freedom Fund’s $15.7 million winning campaigns last year in Tennessee and Texas that successfully defeated 14 so-called Republicans. Now, kids all over Tennessee will be the winners!”
The campaign is expected to target Republican legislators who may be undecided about supporting the legislation. 
Across the country, the Club for Growth Action and its affiliated School Freedom Fund super PAC have backed <a href="https://www.clubforgrowth.org/club-for-growth-action-defeat-10-anti-school-freedom-rinos-in-tx-house-primary-runoff/">primary challenges</a> to 14 Republican lawmakers in Texas who opposed school choice legislation, defeating 10 of the targeted lawmakers. The group also opposed Republican lawmakers in Tennessee who did not support Lee’s push last year for similar legislation. 
Lee’s proposal this year, known as the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, comes after similar legislation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/will-school-choice-come-to-tennessee-lawmakers-have-two-weeks-to-finalize-education-freedom-act">failed</a> last year when Republicans in the state House and Senate could not agree on the proposal&#8217;s language. 
In November, Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-TN) and House Majority Leader Rep. William Lamberth (R-Portland) introduced identical legislation in the Assembly in line with Lee’s scholarship proposal. 
“A quality education can change the trajectory of a child’s life, and that’s why the vast majority of Tennesseans support empowering parents with school choice,” Lee told The Daily Wire. “I remain grateful for legislative leadership’s commitment to passing the Education Freedom Act early in the next legislative session and appreciate Club for Growth’s continued support.”
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The <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0001.pdf">proposal</a> would create 20,000 scholarships worth an estimated $7,295 that parents could apply for and use for things like tuition at private schools and textbooks. Half of the scholarships would be reserved for students in households with annual incomes of less than 300% of the amount needed to qualify for free or reduced lunch. The second 10,000 would be universally open. 
In the second year, an additional 5,000 scholarships would be made available if 75% of the available scholarships are taken the previous year. In this year, the scholarships are prioritized based on current recipients and income levels if there is more demand than supply. 
Scholarship recipients would have to be administered a nationally standardized achievement test or the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program. The measure would also give all current public school teachers a $2,000 bonus and guarantee that public schools would not lose state funding based on disenrollment from their schools.

Drone view of Tennessee State Capitol

Conservative Org Launches Push To Get School Choice Across Finish Line In Tennessee

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