Tennessee may offer vouchers averaging $6,628 annually to as many as 5,000 students who attend poorly performing public schools, so students can use the money to go to private school.
But with elite private schools in Chattanooga charging as much as $24,000 annually for a day student’s tuition, and most parochial schools charging more than $6,628, how many private schools here will want to accept students with state vouchers?
Even state Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, who sponsored the school voucher legislation, can’t say.
“I don’t know who will take it,” Gardenhire said. “Just because you’re a private school doesn’t mean you have to take it. I haven’t asked any. I just wanted to give them the opportunity.”
Gardenhire says school voucher legislation will pass this week. But some observers in Nashville say it’s close and disagree on whether the bill will have enough votes to get out of the House Finance, Ways and Means subcommittee.