Skip to main content
Thursday, November 12, 2026Nov 12
Subscribe
All Sections
Search
More

Which students are eligible for Tennessee’s 2026 private school tuition program?

It's not clear how many new seats Tennessee will add to the private school tuition program, which provided $7,295 in public tax dollars to 20,000 students this fall to use at private schools. (Karen Pulfer Focht / Chalkbeat file)
It's not clear how many new seats Tennessee will add to the private school tuition program, which provided $7,295 in public tax dollars to 20,000 students this fall to use at private schools. (Karen Pulfer Focht / Chalkbeat file) It's not clear how many new seats Tennessee will add to the private school tuition program, which provided $7,295 in public tax dollars to 20,000 students this fall to use at private schools. (Karen Pulfer Focht / Chalkbeat file)

By Melissa Brown / Chalkbeat Tennessee 3 min read

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

When new applications for Tennessee’s private school tuition program open in January, the state will change how it prioritizes applicants for next school year, though it’s not yet clear how many open seats will be available.

The Tennessee Department of Education announced last week that applications for the 2026-2027 Education Freedom Scholarships program will open on Jan. 13 and close on Jan. 20. Students currently enrolled in the program can renew beginning on Dec. 9.

Any student waitlisted for the 2025 school year must reapply, according to the department.

It’s also not clear how many new seats Tennessee will add to the program, which provided $7,295 in public tax dollars to 20,000 students this fall to use at private schools.