HomeTop StoriesTenn. Republican lawmakers introduce the first bill of the 2025 legislative session

Tenn. Republican lawmakers introduce the first bill of the 2025 legislative session

The morning after President Trump’s historic victory, Republican lawmakers in Tennessee introduced the first bill of the 2025 legislative session. The Education Freedom Act of 2025 was introduced on November 6 to launch a new era of student success and put the Volunteer State on a path to become the nation’s top public schools.

It is very important that parents are given the opportunity to make educational decisions for their children. Families should not limit their educational options because of their income or zip code. This legislation empowers parents to use their hard-earned tax dollars and direct them toward the best educational approach that meets their child’s unique needs.

Senate Bill 1 establishes statewide school choice, giving every Tennessee family the opportunity to choose the educational path that best suits their child’s needs. The legislation makes significant investments in public education while preserving the future fiscal integrity of public schools.

The Education Freedom Act of 2025 includes:

  • 20,000 scholarships for Tennessee students beginning in the 2025-2026 school year

    • 10,000 set aside for students with incomes of 300% or less who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, have a disability, or qualify for the existing ESA program

  • Ensures that state funding to school districts will never decrease due to disenrollment

  • Scholarships equal to the base per-pupil funds allocated to public school students each year – $7,075 as of the most recent school year

  • More than 350 private schools are eligible to voluntarily receive Education Freedom Scholarships as Category I-III schools

  • An additional 5,000 grants with universal eligibility are added each year after 75% of total grants have been received in the previous year to ensure controlled, fiscally responsible program growth

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The Education Freedom Act of 2025 also includes significant investments in Tennessee’s public schools and teachers, including:

  • $2,000 bonus for every teacher in the state

  • 80% of all sports betting dollars go to building and maintaining K-12 public school facilities, especially for emergencies and for high-risk and distressed counties

Tennessee remains committed to supporting public schools with an estimated $275 million

additional government funding through TISA. Salary for beginning teachers will also increase to $47,000 in FY 25-26 – up from $35,000 in 2019, putting the state at 16th in the country.

I look forward to discussing this legislation during the 114th Tennessee General Assembly, which will take place on January 14, 2025.

State Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald (District 28)

State Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald (District 28)

Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, provides a weekly update on legislation being introduced for the upcoming 114th General Assembly.

This article originally appeared in The Daily Herald: Hensley: Lawmakers introduce first bill of 2025 legislative session

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