Vouchers in Memphis Raise Questions

Tennessee’s voucher programs are exploding—private school tuition in Memphis averages $16,000, but state-funded vouchers are making it accessible to thousands. The new, universal Education Freedom Scholarships (EFS) drew 50,000+ applications for just 35,000 spots, while the older ESA program, limited to low-income families in select counties, saw surprising academic gains in Memphis—especially in English Language Arts. But here’s the twist: nearly 20% of families using these vouchers didn’t need the help to afford tuition. With withdrawals hitting nearly 50% in Memphis, the state’s voucher experiment is revealing a complex, contested reality. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/14267ac72917baac