Episode Details

Tennessee Republicans Call Out Leaders for Backing Away from School Voucher Testing Promise

Some Republican lawmakers in Tennessee are criticizing their partys leaders for reneging on a key promise regarding school voucher testing. The original plan, introduced in 2019, involved Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) with strict TCAP testing to ensure fair comparisons with public schools. However, GOP bigwigs now want to scrap universal testing for ESA students.

ESAs provide around $9,800 a year to low-income students in Davidson, Hamilton, and Shelby counties. Unlike the newer Education Freedom Scholarships, ESA students were required to take the same TCAP tests as public school peers. However, the first three years of data show that ESA students are mostly lagging behind.

Reps like Chris Hurt and Jody Barrett, both Republicans, argue that this feels like a straight betrayal. Hurt voted for the original plan due to the testing promise, but now he believes the results arent living up to the hype. Barrett wants apples-to-apples comparisons if public money is flowing to private schools, not rule changes to avoid negative reports.

On April 1st, the House Finance Subcommittee passed House Bill 1881 by a narrow margin, with two GOP no-shows. The bill allows ESA students to choose any state-approved national test or stick with TCAP, then reports only a sample to the state. Proponents claim TCAP doesnt fit private curriculums.

This move further widens the gap between public schools under heavy accountability and voucher programs with lighter oversight, leaving many to question if the pilots true goal was results or just expansion.

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