Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship (Education Freedom Scholarship)
Award amounts: Tennessee Department of Education, November 9, 2026. School list: Tennessee Department of Education; the May 7, 2026 release said scholarships could be used at nearly 300 registered non-public schools. This directory has not matched that list, as of Nov 9, 2026. The approved-school count is zero because no list has been matched, not because zero schools participate. Funding depends on eligibility, approval and available funds.
Education Freedom Scholarship is Tennessee’s education savings account, the program most families call the Tennessee school voucher. The published 2026–27 figure is $7,530 per student. Scholarship amount for a student who is awarded one of the available scholarships. It is not paid to every Tennessee private-school student.
Who runs it and how to apply
Education Freedom Scholarship is run by the Tennessee Department of Education. Families apply through the official site, www.tn.gov/education/efs.html. Applications for 2026–27 are closed. The department's May 7, 2026 release said families had until June 30, 2026 to verify enrollment. A marketplace for students with no pending tuition was projected for October 29, 2026.
What schools must do to take part
The student must be enrolled in grades K–12 at a registered Category I, II, or III non-public school in Tennessee. Funds prioritize tuition and fees. The school has to be registered with the program.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Tennessee school voucher for private school?
$7,530 per student for the 2026–27 school year at an approved private school.
Is Education Freedom Scholarship a school voucher?
Yes, in everyday terms. Education Freedom Scholarship is an education savings account (ESA), which most people call the Tennessee school voucher. Instead of a paper voucher, approved families receive funds in an account they use for tuition and other approved costs at participating schools.
Does every applicant get Education Freedom Scholarship funding?
No. The department's May 7, 2026 release said all 35,000 scholarships for 2026–27 were reserved, from 56,440 applications, with 17,735 applications left on a waitlist. Renewals come first, then income and disability-account priorities, then current public-school students and rising kindergarteners, then other eligible students. A student who was not awarded does not receive $7,530. No Tennessee school in this directory is marked participating. Funding depends on eligibility, approval and available funds.
Which Christian schools accept the Tennessee school voucher?
Schools have to be approved by the program. This directory has not matched a school-level participating list (checked November 9, 2026), so no school is marked as accepting Education Freedom Scholarship. A missing mark is not a finding that the school declines the program.
How is cost after funding calculated?
The tuition the school publishes, minus the standard award, never below zero. Fees such as registration, books and transportation may apply on top.
Schools that accept the Education Freedom Scholarship voucher, by city
Cities with fewer than 3 participating schools are on the Tennessee city list.