Tagged: school voucher program

After several years of advancing major education initiatives, Tennessee lawmakers this year failed to pass the biggest school bills before them. 

The 108th Tennessee General Assembly, which adjourned Friday, debated a proposal to create a school voucher program and a so-called parent trigger measure that would allow parents to decide the fate of a struggling school.  Both appeared to have momentum but failed by the end of the session.

Tennessee lawmakers trying to wrap up the General Assembly this month are hoping to push through two key education proposals.

One measure creates a state panel to authorize charter schools for five counties, and the other seeks to clear the way for cities to begin forming municipal school systems. The session began with several proposals aimed at continuing education reform in Tennessee.

Republican legislative leaders in Tennessee are glad the most contentious issues of this session are largely decided as they enter the final weeks.

Gov. Bill Haslam's decision last week to withdraw his limited school voucher proposal highlights the sometimes contentious nature of his relationship with fellow Republicans in the Legislature, who now hold a supermajority. The governor was unable to persuade a faction led by Sen. Brian Kelsey to refrain from trying to expand the bill to more families.

Republican lawmakers who’ve tried for years to divert public education money to pay private school tuition say they won’t give up. Wednesday Gov. Bill Haslam yanked his proposal from consideration because legislators wanted to expand it.

The governor’s bill would have started small, limiting school vouchers to poor students in failing schools. Others have been looking at something many times larger for middle class families. Sen. Brian Kelsey has led the voucher push. 

“This was definitely a minor set back and disappointing that the governor pulled his support, but I am fully committed to helping these low income children get the quality education that they deserve. There are other vehicles out there that are available,” he said.

Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris says that lawmakers will either have to approve Gov. Bill Haslam’s approach to a school voucher program or face the measure being withdrawn entirely.

The Collierville Republican told reporters Tuesday that he perceives a growing level of comfort with Haslam’s more measured approach to the bill that would supply a limited number of parents of children in the state’s worst schools with public money to pay for a private education.