NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Outraged Tennessee lawmakers grilled state education officials Wednesday about the handling of a much-debated school voucher program, and a key Republican lawmaker made a surprise admission that he regretted voted for the measure.
At issue is the Department of Education’s decision to award a $2.5 million non-compete contract to Florida-based vendor ClassWallet to help administer the applications and funds once the state’s voucher program begins in the summer.
Some lawmakers have been grumbling for weeks about the contract’s price tag – which exceeds the amount they appropriated in 2019 – and about being caught off guard by Gov. Bill Lee office’s push to implement the voucher program as soon as possible.
That simmering resentment bubbled over during a Wednesday hearing when Rep. Matthew Hill, a Jonesborough Republican, demanded answers from the education agency, comptroller’s office and finance officials on who approved the contract and why legislators didn’t get a chance to review it.
In this March 19, 2012, file photo, Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, discusses a bill during a House floor session in Nashville, Tenn. Outraged Tennessee lawmakers have been grilling state education officials over the handling of a much-debated school voucher program. Hill demanded answers Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, from the education agency, comptroller’s office and finance officials on who approved the contract and why and why legislators didn’t get a chance to review it. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig, File)According to emails between the agency and legislative staffers, the Statehouse’s fiscal review committee contacted the education agency multiple times last year to get an update on the voucher program and to learn more about what type of contract officials there would pursue.