Gov. Bill Lee wants $155 million to fund 20,000 new vouchers

By , Chalkbeat Tennessee Updated: February 02, 2026 7:46 PM CT | Published: February 02, 2026 7:46 PM CT
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Chalkbeat Tennessee

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

If Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee achieves his goal, Tennessee would spend more than $303 million in public dollars on vouchers next fiscal year to help send 40,000 students to private schools across the state.

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Bill Lee tennessee School vouchers
In partnership with
Chalkbeat Tennessee

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

Melissa Brown

Melissa Brown

Melissa Brown is the Bureau Chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. She joined Chalkbeat from The Tennessean, where she covered state politics and government policy. Melissa is an Alabama native who grew up on military bases in Japan and England before graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in journalism.


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