The Tennessee CapitolNASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Republican sponsor of a measure competing with Gov. Bill Haslam’s to create a school voucher program in Tennessee says she’s convinced the initiative should be broader than what the governor is proposing.
His measure would limit the program to 5,000 students in failing schools in the academic year that begins in August, and grow to 20,000 by 2016.
The proposal Sen. Delores Gresham plans to present in the Senate Education Committee as early as next week would increase the income limit for eligibility to about $75,000 for a family of four, which is quite an increase from the $42,643 envisioned by Haslam’s proposal. The bill also has no limitation on growth.
When reporters asked Gresham about her proposal Wednesday evening, she said she had talked to the Republican governor about the competing proposals, but didn’t elaborate on what was discussed.
“The governor and I are on the same page,” said the Somerville Republican and retired Marine lieutenant colonel. “We both believe that we should do this. The only difference is to what degree. It’s … my conviction that it should be broader.”