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Chattanooga Private Schools Reap Voucher Rewards

NewsChannel9 reports on the Chattanooga-area private schools getting taxpayer dollars from Gov. Bill Lee’s school voucher scheme:

New data shows that just over 600 Hamilton County students are enrolled in private schools this school year through Tennessee’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program, also known as school vouchers.

Here’s the list of Hamilton County students using Education Savings Accounts (ESA) for the 2025–26 school year:

  • Annoor Academy of Chattanooga – 47
  • Avondale SDA School – 29
  • Beacon Academy – 26
  • Belvoir Christian Academy – 42
  • Berean Academy – 31
  • Bethel Christian Academy – (number not listed)
  • Brainerd Baptist School – 20
  • Chattanooga Christian School – 95
  • Dolphin STEM Academy – (number not listed)
  • Enlightium Academy – 10
  • Grace Baptist Academy – 95
  • Hamilton Heights Christian Academy – (number not listed)
  • Hickory Valley Christian School – (number not listed)
  • Imagine Learning Excellence Academy – (number not listed)
  • Notre Dame High School – 81
  • Our Lady of Perpetual Help School – 49
  • Silverdale Baptist Academy – 23
  • Skyuka Hall School – 15St. Jude School – 16
  • St. Nicholas School – (number not listed)
  • The Montessori School – (number not listed)
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The School District as ICE Agent

If some Tennessee lawmakers get their way, Tennessee schools could be on the frontlines of the Trump Administrations aggressive and inhumane immigration crackdown.

A piece in the Knoxville News-Sentinel explains:

Earlier this year, the Tennessee Senate passed SB836, a bill that would allow public schools to deny undocumented children access to public K-12 education. This legislation directly challenges the landmark 1982 Supreme Court decision Plyler v Doe, which held that all children in the United States are entitled to a free public education, regardless of immigration and citizenship status. 

The companion bill, HB793, stalled in the House, but it is expected to return for consideration in January.

One provision in the bill would require all public schools to collect the immigration and citizenship status of every child who enrolls, regardless of whether the district intends to exclude undocumented children.

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Not Showing Up

NewsChannel9 reports on chronic absenteeism at some Hamilton County Schools:

The 3 Hamilton County Schools High Schools with the highest chronic absentee rates are Howard Academy, Brainerd High School, and East Ridge High School, according to 2023-24 statistics from the state of Tennessee.

Meredith Benton, CEO of Communities In Schools In Tennessee, a school support organization partnering with Hamilton County Schools, identified common causes of chronic absenteeism as a lack of supplies, transportation, and access to healthcare.

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Upheld

Judge declines to intervene in book banning

State lawmakers created a monster with legislation that limits the books on school library shelves – under the guise of protecting schoolchildren from “obscene” materials.

Now, as districts struggle to comply, books are being pulled from library shelves – and some students are suing.

Chalkbeat reports on the most recent legal wrangling:

A federal judge has declined to block ongoing book bans at one of Tennessee’s largest school districts before a full trial next year.

In April, after months of heated school board meetings and district schools pulling more than 140 books from library shelves, three high school students sued the Rutherford County Board of Education. The students, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, argued in initial filings the book bans violated their First Amendment rights and disadvantaged students by blocking them from accessing “crucial, acclaimed, and historical works.”

Judge Eli Richardson denied a preliminary injunction this week, declining to block the district from limiting access to books until the full trial plays out and indicating that the defendants have an uphill battle in the case.

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EdCo Teacher Spotlight: November

The latest Educators’ Cooperative newsletter includes a teacher spotlight:

Meet Cohort 3 EdCo Member Natalie Elliott, a cross-sector and interdisciplinary collaboration all-star! This year, she used our “EdCo in the Classroom” Member Services, to enrich her Gifted and Talented (GATE) classroom at Waverly-Belmont Elementary.
As part of their “Physics of Toys” unit, Natalie requested an EdCo Exchange collaboration with Built Technologies engineer (and EdCo Board Member) Thomas Schlegel. He visited her 5th graders for a career talk, case study, and to help Natalie with her teacher-led project: an in-class toy design activity.Natalie knew exactly what her students would want to talk about (Labubus) and exactly what they would need to successfully design toys (small groups, lots of engagement, and many chances to debrief with their peers).In classic EdCo fashion, Natalie even extended the learning beyond her own classroom and invited another teacher’s class to join the talk and plan their own toy designs for the project ahead alongside her students.

READ MORE>

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Chattanooga Mom Takes on Lee’s School Voucher Scheme

NewsChannel9 in Chattanooga reports that a local mom is part of a group of Tennessee parents challenging Gov. Bill Lee’s private school discount coupon scheme.

Crystal Boehm, who has children in Hamilton County Schools, is one of several parents suing the state.

They argue the program drains money from public schools at a time when districts are already cutting staff, trimming transportation and reworking special education services.

Boehm says the impact is already felt locally. She points to recent cuts in Hamilton County, including the elimination of magnet school transportation and staff reductions across multiple campuses.

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What Happens When Republicans Stand Up for Schools?

Just ask State Rep. Jody Barrett

A Tennessee Republican who stood up for public education in the state legislature paid the price, as a conservative political action group backing Matt Van Epps attacked him with millions of dollars in advertising.

NewsChannel5 reports:

Barrett was attacked because he voted against Governor Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Act – also called vouchers.

State Representative Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) ran for the open congressional seat in Tennessee’s recent special election, but he finished second to Matt Van Epps in the Republican primary.

After the primary, the head of the conservative PAC, Club for Growth, took credit for Barrett’s loss and called it a warning to other candidates.

After the primary, the head of Club for Growth wrote, “I made it clear that any republican lawmaker who failed to support Governor Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Act … should expect to lose an expensive primary funded by Club for Growth.”

Lee’s so-called “Education Freedom Act” essentially provides discount coupons to private schools for use by wealthy families.

The plan is now in court, as a group of Tennessee parents is saying the voucher scheme threatens funding for local public schools.

On a related note, a new dark money group with ties to the state’s top Republicans has formed and announced plans to push for a rapid expansion of the voucher scheme – costing the state billions and taking nearly 500,000 students out of public schools.

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Seemingly Uncertain

A Clarksville School Board member who resigned just hours after being sworn-in now says she doesn’t want to resign and will serve on the board anyway.

Since the County Commission had not “accepted” the resignation, it has been ruled that she may remain on the Board.

Clarksville Now has more:

After new Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board member Teresa Crosslin withdrew her resignation from the board, the big question has been whether her resignation could be withdrawn, or if she would be allowed to remain a School Board member.

Crosslin had been sworn in the day before on Monday, and she resigned Monday evening, stating, “I, Teresa Crosslin, upon further consideration, am immediately resigning my position with the CMCSS School Board, District 3,” according to CMCSS

County Attorney says Crosslin can stay:

In his opinion letter, Harvey explained that under state law, the resignation must be filed with and accepted by the body that appointed Crosslin, which was the County Commission. Since the County Commission hasn’t met since her swearing-in, the commission hasn’t been able to accept the resignation. With the resignation being withdrawn, effectively nothing has happened.

The whole ordeal – joining the school board, being sworn in, resigning, missing the first meeting, then deciding to stay on – all took place in the course of a week.

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Hamilton County Moves to Restore Mental Health Supports

Chattanooga’s NewsChannel9 reports that the Hamilton County School Board is taking a look at options for providing mental health support to students:

Hamilton County Schools is bringing school-based mental health services back to the board agenda after ending its previous agreement with Centerstone.

On Thursday, the Hamilton County Department of Education board will review memorandums of understanding with five companies that a selection committee picked to provide a choice of services for students’ parents.

Centerstone is among the companies being considered, and some officials say they want more options for students.

District officials say these agreements could expand the options for providing therapy, counseling, and other mental health support to students directly on school campuses.

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Lawsuit Challenges Tennessee’s School Voucher Scheme

Advocates say Gov. Lee’s voucher plan violates the state’s Constitution

Tennessee’s expanded, universal school voucher scheme violates a state requirement to maintain a system of free public schools, a new lawsuit says.

The Education Law Center, on behalf of a group of Tennessee parents, filed the suit in Davidson County Chancery Court.

“I taught for 12 years, and I fought to get my children into Rutherford County Schools because I knew the quality of education here,” said Jill Smiley, Rutherford County parent and former teacher. “Now the state is systematically defunding the very schools families like mine depend on. You can’t expect excellent schools on a shrinking budget.” 

The suit cites the requirement in the Tennessee Constitution that the state establish and support a system of free public schools.

According to the plaintiffs:

The lawsuit argues the voucher law violates the Education Clause of the Tennessee Constitution in two ways: 

  • The Education Clause’s adequacy requirement: By diverting public funds away from already underfunded public schools, the law prevents Tennessee from providing students with the adequate education guaranteed by the state constitution. 
  • The Education Clause’s mandate of a single system of public schools: By funding schools outside the system of free public schools, the voucher law violates this Education Clause mandate. 

Estimates by state analysts suggest the program will cost more than $140 million this year alone and may cost over $1 billion a year within 5 years.

Additionally, an issue advocacy group calling itself Tennessee Leads says it will fight to expand the school voucher program as well as the state’s charter schools so that as many as 450,000 students are removed from the state’s public school system by 2031.

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