Release from the Murfreesboro City Schools - The Murfreesboro City Schools Board of Education passed a resolution at the January 9 school board meeting opposing legislation proposed by Governor Bill Lee that expands a tax funded education savings account program for private schools.

The resolution reads, “legislation proposed by Governor Bill Lee on November 28, 2023, would create an education savings account program that will, in part, allow taxpayer dollars to pay tuition and fees at participating private schools for approximately 20,000 students annually;”

“WHEREAS, the Board believes that competition is beneficial for the overall quality of education, but asserts that competition must be on fair terms, especially when involving the receipt of taxpayer funding in the form of education savings accounts, vouchers, or similar taxpayer-funded programs;”

The resolution ends by declaring that “if legislation is considered by the Tennessee General Assembly to create an education savings account, voucher, or similar taxpayer-funded program in Tennessee, such legislation should subject participating private schools to the same accountability standards and educational mandates of public schools for purposes of public transparency.”

Although a draft of the bill has not been published, the governor announced the plan under the name “Education Freedom Scholarship Act.”

School boards from across the state have passed comparable resolutions rejecting the Governors proposed plans. The full resolution can be found on the MCS website.

• The Murfreesboro City Schools oversee a total of 13 schools within their system that has a little over 9,340 students and 796 certified staff members.