House Bill 6004, known as the "Education Freedom Act of 2025," seeks to enhance educational choice in Tennessee by establishing the "Education Freedom Scholarship Act." This act introduces a scholarship program administered by the Department of Education, providing financial assistance to eligible students attending private schools. The program will offer a maximum of 20,000 scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year, with eligibility criteria based on household income and prior public school enrollment. The bill outlines the application process, prioritization of awards, and permissible uses of scholarship funds, which include tuition, educational materials, and tutoring services. It also ensures that participating private schools maintain autonomy and are not subject to additional regulations beyond those necessary for compliance with the program.

In addition to the scholarship program, the bill includes provisions to support local education agencies (LEAs) and teachers. It mandates a one-time $2,000 bonus for each K-12 public school teacher for the 2024-2025 school year, clarifying that these bonuses are state-funded and separate from the Teacher Investment and Support Act (TISA) salary payments. The bill also amends the distribution of privilege tax collected under Tennessee Code Annotated, ensuring that 80% of these funds are allocated to the state treasurer for the construction and maintenance of public school buildings, taking into account various needs identified by the LEAs. The provisions related to the privilege tax will take effect on July 1, 2025, while other sections will become law upon enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-3-108, 4-49-104(e)(1), 4-49-104