Gov. Bill Lee has signed legislation designed to drastically expand school voucher access throughout the Volunteer State that will allow families to use taxpayer dollars on private school expenses regardless of income.
However, Republican leaders have included language that says students living in the country illegally will be prohibited from participating.
The new law says Tennessee’s Department of Education “shall deny” any school voucher application where the family “cannot establish the eligible student’s lawful presence in the United States.”
Tennessee Republicans have also introduced a separate proposal that would allow local school districts to opt out of enrolling a child who is “unlawfully present” in the country.
