TN SB1978

Private schools enrolling Education Freedom Scholarship recipients must comply with open meetings and open records laws, cap tuition increases at 10% annually, provide progress reports to parents twice yearly, and publicly disclose admissions criteria, tuition rates, demographics, and test outcomes.

Scholarship eligibility is limited to households with annual income not exceeding 300% of the federal free or reduced-price lunch threshold.

Recipients must take the same TCAP standardized tests as public school students in the same grade or course, with uniform administration across all recipients at each private school.

Private schools must undergo annual audits by certified public accountants reporting total scholarship funds received, expenditures over $25,000, and the five highest-paid employees' salaries; the comptroller may also audit participating schools at the school's expense.

The comptroller must submit a program evaluation to the General Assembly by December 31, 2029, covering educational outcomes, administrative costs, and effects on local school districts; the program sunsets July 1, 2030.