Legislative Session Wraps with Late Drama, Key Reforms, Historic Investments

House Speaker Cameron Sexton gaveling out the session (Photo by the House Republican Caucus)

Going into the final day of the legislative session on Thursday, one unresolved question was whether lawmakers might further expand the number of families who can use tax dollars for private school expenses.

Lawmakers extended that option for parents of 15,000 children last week by voting to expand the Education Freedom Scholarship program, sometimes referred to as school vouchers. On Monday, Republican leaders amended House Bill 1881 to expand availability for the Education Savings Account (ESA) program as well.

The ESA is similar to the Education Freedom Scholarship program, but it’s only available to families in Davidson, Shelby, and Hamilton Counties who meet income requirements. The amended legislation would have extended the program to families making double the current income restrictions, as well as those from Knox County. That effort ultimately failed on Tuesday night when the Senate failed to pass the amended legislation on a 16-14 vote.

The Senate suspended its rules to allow the legislation to return on Thursday, but its sponsor, Senator Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, announced he was only supporting the bill in its initial form, which would allow students taking part in the ESA to take a national norm test instead of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) that public school students take.

That version did not expand the ESA.

“I have made a commitment to the body, and I’ll restate that commitment. I will accept no further changes to this bill. It will be this, or it will be nothing,” said Johnson before the Senate, and later the House, passed his legislation.

Reforms and Accountability

This year’s legislative session also included multiple school reforms and accountability.

One piece of legislation that received considerable attention will close underperforming virtual schools. The number of virtual schools in the state has risen since the pandemic, and a recent State Board of Education hearing raised concerns, including a failure in at least one case to take daily attendance.

“I think we would all agree that, in education, we want our kids to get the best that they can, and so we need to make sure that what's being provided to them is going to drive those students across the finish line so that they can be successful in life,” bill co-sponsor Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, said.

Both the House and Senate passed the bill last week, and it’s currently awaiting Governor Bill Lee’s signature.

Cepicky also sponsored a bill that would automatically enroll high-performing eighth-grade students in Algebra 1. That legislation was unanimously passed by both chambers.

Lawmakers additionally passed a bill that came directly from last year’s Advisory Committee on Innovations in K-12 Education. That legislation will require each public school district to annually submit a list of all local assessments. 

Public Charter School Improvements

Governor Lee delighted public charter school leaders across the state during his State of the State Address by proposing doubling support for charter school facilities. Lawmakers approved that historic $40 million in this year’s budget last week. Unlike traditional public schools, charters do not receive local funding for facilities and the investment was viewed by supporters as key support to address the disparity.

Charter schools also received a reduction in government red tape under legislation that creates automatic 10-year renewals for high-performing charter schools.

Following the session’s end, the education advocacy organization Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) released a statement, recognizing the lawmakers for “setting students up for success.”

"The 2026 legislative session closed with meaningful wins for Tennessee students," said TSS President and CEO Lana Skelo. "The General Assembly seized the opportunity that this final year of Governor Lee's term offered, passing legislation that expands access to quality public schools, demands greater accountability from school districts, and ensures every child in Tennessee has a real shot at success. We are grateful to Governor Lee and the lawmakers who championed these measures, and we look forward to seeing this progress carry forward into the next chapter for Tennessee education."

The Tennessee Firefly is a project of and supported by Tennesseans for Student Success.

“Hot Button” Issues

Lawmakers also advanced multiple bills aligned with hot-button national issues, including two named after the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The Charlie Kirk Heritage Act will provide students with information on the positive impact of religion in American history, while the Charlie Kirk Act, once signed by Governor Lee, will require all public colleges and universities to adopt policies on freedom of expression and on each institution’s role in political and social action.

On the final day of the session, both chambers also agreed to pass legislation allowing public schools to display the Ten Commandments.

Lawmakers in both chambers failed to reach an agreement on the much-discussed bill introduced last year regarding immigrant students. The legislation was initially proposed to allow school districts to deny admission to students who lack legal immigration status or charge them tuition. Sponsors amended that legislation to only track these students to assess their financial impact, but the bill failed to receive a vote on the Senate floor.

It remains to be seen if the 115th General Assembly will propose something similar when it convenes next January.