COLLIERVILLE, Tenn — The Collierville Board of the Mayor and Aldermen passed a joint resolution with Collierville Schools opposing statewide school voucher expansion on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.
Governor Bill Lee unveiled plans to expand the program with no income limitations next school year. It would also create 20,000 education scholarships, with half going to low-income or disabled students.
The current program gives eligible Tennessee families in Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools or Hamilton County Schools about $8,100 in tax dollars to help cover private school tuition and other preapproved expenses.
Collierville officials are concerned that with the expansion, funding could be cut at their top-rated schools since public funds are used for the vouchers.
"It takes funds out of our school system. And we hire teachers. We turn the lights on. We have school buildings. We do everything we need to run do to run a school system, and these vouchers have made funds available to take children out of our schools, so we lose that funding,” said Collierville Schools Chairman Wright Cox.
Although the proposed legislation has not made it to the Tennessee General Assembly yet, Collierville leaders wanted to make their stance clear. Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner said he hopes to get the city's message to state legislators and the Governor.
The Germantown and Arlington Superintendents have also publicly opposed the statewide voucher expansion.