Rep. William Slater Proposes ‘Fair Opportunity’ for Public School Choice

State Representative William Slater (Photo by Slater)

State Representative William Slater, R-Gallatin, supported giving parents more choices about where their children attend school, even before he officially took office.

In an interview with the Tennessee Firefly just days before his first legislative session in 2023, the longtime educator and Welch College dean said school decisions should be made around the kitchen table, not by elected officials.

“Parents know what’s best for their children.  Who is in the best position to know what school or what situation for delivering education than the parents?” Slater said.

This session, Slater is sponsoring legislation that could make those decisions a little easier for parents if the “best school” happens to be outside their zoned school district.

Current state law allows children to enroll in schools outside their district, but the process isn’t particularly convenient or always fair for families. Under the law, school districts are only required to conduct an open enrollment period of 30 days, and there aren't always clearly defined rules for when a district can deny enrollment to nonresident students.

Ensuring a Fair Opportunity

Slater says House Bill 0349 will help by expanding the enrollment window and placing limits on denials.

Under the bill, districts could deny nonresident students only if there’s a lack of space, the denial is necessary to comply with a desegregation plan, or the student is expelled, suspended, or cannot meet the criteria uniformly required of all students in the district.

"Currently, families can face a narrow window to enroll in an out-of-zone school, and there are not always clear guidelines in place to ensure a fair opportunity to exercise public school choice," Slater said. "Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions parents will make for their children—this bill provides families with more time to make the best choice and receive a fair and timely decision."

The bill would still allow school districts to charge nonresident students annual tuition.

Open Enrollment Popular with Voters

The House K-12 Subcommittee has Slater’s bill on its calendar and could vote on it as early as next week. A companion bill sponsored by Senator Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, will be heard in the Senate Education Committee in the coming weeks.

A recent poll conducted by education advocacy organization Tennesseans for Student Success found that Tennessee voters largely support open enrollment policies. More than 82 percent of respondents in the poll support allowing students to enroll in public schools outside their zoned schools when space is available. Just 10 percent opposed that policy. That support was even higher in Memphis, where more than 87 percent of respondents favored open enrollment, and in Chattanooga, where more than 85 percent did.

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