Miranda Williams Thomas is a Legislative Director for ExcelinEd in Action.
Tennessee closed out this year’s legislative session with major wins for students and families, delivering education policies that solidify the state’s leadership in student-centered reform.
From launching a universal education scholarship program to safeguarding academic standards and assessments, Tennessee lawmakers—working closely with Gov. Bill Lee—prioritized innovation, accountability and education choice.
Here’s a look at the highlights from the 2025 legislative session that will shape the future of Tennessee education for years to come.
Tennessee’s most significant education achievement this year came during a special legislative session where state leaders enacted the Tennessee Education Freedom Act.
The Act establishes the state’s Education Freedom Scholarship Program, which empowers families to choose the right educational fit for their children.
Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, 20,000 ESA scholarships will be available statewide with the first 10,000 reserved for low- and middle-income students and students with disabilities. Scholarship funds—up to $7,075—can be applied to private school tuition and fees followed by approved educational expenses, such as textbooks, tutoring and educational therapies.
Starting in the 2026-27 school year, all K–12 students in Tennessee will be eligible to apply for an ESA. If demand exceeds the number of available scholarships, priority will be given to students who are already enrolled in the program, those from low-income families and students attending public schools.
The program is designed to scale with family demand. Each year that at least 75% of available scholarships are used, the number of available scholarships will increase by 5,000.
This historic legislation represents a significant investment in parental empowerment and educational opportunity for all Tennessee families.
Tennessee’s lawmakers also made important strides expanding and supporting high-quality charter schools.
First, the state allocated $20 million specifically for charter school facilities, with funding distributed on a per-pupil basis, along with $5 million for the creation of a Tennessee Equitable Facilities Fund to provide revolving loan financing options for charter schools.
This investment will help address one of the biggest challenges facing Tennessee’s more than 110 charter schools—access to adequate facilities—and represents a commitment to ensuring that all students, regardless of the school they attend, learn in a safe and supportive environment.
In addition, the law (SB 1310) establishes a process for existing public charter schools to replicate successful models within the same district. In some cases, charter school sponsors are now allowed to apply directly to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission to open a new school.
This streamlined approach will make it easier for high-performing charter operators to grow and serve more students, particularly in communities where new options are needed most. These changes reflect a shared commitment to ensuring every child has access to a quality public education.
To improve learning environments and reduce distractions in the classroom, lawmakers passed HB 932.
The legislation mandates that local school boards and public charter schools adopt policies creating cell phone-free instructional time. Exceptions are made where phone use is required for student health, as part of a student’s IEP or 504 plan or is explicitly permitted by a teacher for instructional purposes.
The bill also requires schools to establish clear processes for contacting parents in emergencies, ensuring families remain connected when it matters most.
This law responds to growing concerns from educators and parents about the distracting effects of cell phones and personal electronic devices in the classroom on student focus and well-being.
Looking to the future, lawmakers may also be interested in advancing a “bell-to-bell” policy that would further address cell phone use throughout the school day—a topic that has garnered attention and support in other states.
Assessment policy was once again a flashpoint in the legislature, with significant differences of opinion between the House and Senate. The Senate stood firm in defending Tennessee’s existing assessment system, while the House introduced proposals to weaken or eliminate key elements of the framework. After weeks of debate, the two chambers reached a compromise.
The final legislation creates an Advisory Committee tasked with studying state and local assessments as well as teacher evaluation systems and delivering recommendations by the end of 2025.
ExcelinEd in Action, and its sister organization, ExcelinEd, will be focused on preserving the integrity of the current assessment system, supporting policymakers with thoughtful solutions for potential improvements, and ensuring Tennessee has a strong accountability system in place that parents, students and educators can trust.
Another key initiative of Gov. Lee’s to strengthen Tennessee’s efforts to recruit and retain high-quality educators passed this session.
The new law, SB 1311, revises teacher licensure requirements to prioritize the placement of certified teachers in classrooms and creates new pathways for prospective educators. These policies will help districts fill vacancies and ensure students are taught by effective, well-prepared professionals.
This legislative win supports Tennessee’s long-term strategy to build a robust educator pipeline and elevate the teaching profession statewide.
The final Tennessee budget includes a $17 million allocation to reward high-performing Local Education Agencies. The investment recognizes excellence and continuous improvement within Tennessee’s public education system.
Tennessee’s 2025 session affirmed the state’s dedication to high-quality, student-focused education policy.
By expanding educational choice, defending assessments and accountability, creating distraction-free learning environments and investing in the teacher pipeline, lawmakers have laid a strong foundation for future progress. ExcelinEd in Action celebrates these wins and looks forward to working alongside Tennessee leaders to build on this momentum in the year ahead.
