Tennessee
Tennessee Republicans add undocumented immigrant documentation component to school voucher expansion bill
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee Republicans are advancing a controversial amendment that merges a statewide school voucher expansion with policies that would financially penalize public school districts when undocumented students dis-enroll.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton made a rare appearance to vote in the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee on April 1 to show support for House Bill 2532.
The legislation, originally requested by Gov. Bill Lee, aims to expand the state’s Education Freedom Scholarships from 20,000 to 40,000 slots. However, the new amendment caps the program at a maximum of 35,000 scholarships for the 2026-2027 school year, reducing the proposed expansion. “It would be a reduction of the expansion from 20,000 new scholarships to 15,000 new scholarships,” Rep. Ryan Williams said during subcommittee debate.
The most controversial change involves school funding. Under current law, districts do not lose funding when students leave for private schools or dis-enroll for other reasons. Under the amended proposal, school districts would only retain state funding for disenrolled students if those students can prove they are U.S. citizens, in the process of obtaining citizenship, hold a valid legal immigration status, or are subject to pending immigration proceedings without a final order of removal.
This incentivizes school districts to ask about citizenship when a student first enrolls. It means urban school districts, like Metro Nashville, could receive less state funding if they have a higher number of undocumented immigrants disenroll for any reason. “There’s a transparency component in there as it relates to citizenship for students,” Williams said. “How many kids are we actually funding?”
The funding shift marks a major departure from what state Republicans said last year when trying to pass the overall voucher bill. “No public school system will lose any funding, at any time, as a result of disenrollment,” Gov. Lee said in the build-up to the 2025 voucher vote.
Williams argued against keeping funding for all dis-enrolled students. “That’s why I thought it wasn’t fiscally conservative to do that,” Williams said.
The amendment also changes who gets priority for the vouchers. First preference goes to past recipients, followed by students whose household income is at or below 100% of the free or reduced-price lunch threshold, and then those at or below 300%. If slots go unfilled, families above the income limit could apply.
Additionally, the state will be required to report the county, public school enrollment status, and household income tiers of voucher applicants for the first time. “This bill will modify the floor and create transparency,” Williams said.
The bill ultimately passed the subcommittee 9-3 with Democrat State Rep. Johnny Shaw (D-Boliver) present but not casting a vote. The measure moves to the full Finance Committee.
This legislation is different from a separate effort to require all school districts to check the immigration or citizenship status of their students. That bill would not block undocumented students from enrolling, but state leaders say they want a headcount on how many of those students the state educates each year.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
Checking in on Cole: Gallatin rallies around teen battling brain tumor with prayer vigil
Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you’ll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.
– Carrie Sharp
Nate Ament on Tuesday night became Tennessee basketball’s highest NBA Draft pick since Marcus Haislip in 2002 when Ament, the former one-and-done five-star freshman wing for the Vols, was the No. 13 overall pick in the first round when he was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Haislip also was taken No. 13 by the Bucks.
Ament is the 13th first-round pick in Tennessee program history and the fifth under Rick Barnes. Dalton Knecht was the No. 17 overall pick to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024, Grant Williams was the No. 22 overall pick to the Boston Celtics in 2019 and both Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer were first-round picks in 2021, with Johnson at No. 21 to the Los Angeles Clippers and Springer at No. 28 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Vols have had three players in program history picked in the top 10, but none since 1983.
Tennessee in the NBA Draft’s 1st Round
| Pick | Player | Draft Year | Team |
| No. 4 | Tom Boerwinkle | 1968 | Chicago Bulls |
| No. 7 | Bernard King | 1977 | New York Nets |
| No. 9 | Dale Ellis | 1983 | Dallas Mavericks |
| No. 11 | Ernie Grunfeld | 1977 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| No. 11 | Allan Houston | 1993 | Detroit Pistons |
| No. 13 | Marcus Haislip | 2002 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| No. 15 | Reggie Johnson | 1980 | San Antonio Spurs |
| No. 17 | Dalton Knecht | 2024 | LA Lakers |
| No. 19 | Tobias Harris | 2011 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| No. 21 | Keon Johnson | 2021 | LA Clippers |
| No. 22 | Grant Williams | 2019 | Boston Celtics |
| No. 28 | Jaden Springer | 2021 | Philadelphia 76ers |
Nate Ament was ranked as a top-10 prospect in the NBA Draft
Ament entered draft week ranked as both a top-10 prospect in the draft and a projected top-10 pick.
He moved up one spot in ESPN’s final NBA mock draft on Monday, going from No. 10 to the Milwaukee Bucks to No. 9 to the Dallas Mavericks. He was No. 9 overall on ESPN’s ranking of the best players available entering the draft.
“The Nets at No. 6 are seen as the high end,” Woo wrote, “but scenarios are also in play in which he falls into the second half of the lottery. Teams say he has been selective about scheduling workouts, declining to visit multiple teams in the top 10.
“The Mavericks and Bucks are two possible landing spots. If those teams go a different direction, he could slide.”
Nate Ament’s one-and-done season at Tennessee
Ament averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 35 games during his lone season with the Vols. He started in all 35 games he played and averaged 29.7 minutes per game while shooting 39.9% from the field and 33.3% from the 3-point line.
He was the No. 3 overall player in the 2025 class in the On3 recruiting rankings and was the No. 2 small forward in the country and the No. 1 overall player in the state of Virginia.
Ament is the highest-ranked prospect that Rick Barnes has added during his tenure at Tennessee and is believed to one of the highest-ranked recruits to sign with the Vols, alongside Tobias Harris and Allan Houston.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Chattanooga baseball fans got a different kind of scouting report during a recent night at AT&T Field, where the Tennessee Aquarium teamed up with the Chattanooga Lookouts to connect sports with conservation.
The partnership, billed as Conservation Night, brought the Aquarium’s “Animal Athletes” program to the ballpark to teach fans about wildlife and the importance of keeping trash out of waterways.
The event included live animals, interactive games and hands-on activities that highlighted how animals use specialized skills in nature.
“We know that they are here and they are passionate about sports, so let’s get them passionate about nature as well,” said Shawn Brim, community program supervisor at the Tennessee Aquarium.
Visitors learned about animals including tiger salamanders and leopard geckos, while also taking part in challenges inspired by animal behavior.
Brim said the goal was to make conservation approachable by meeting people where they are.
“The primary goal of this event is to connect people with nature, plain and simple. Here we are connecting the sports world to the animal world, highlighting those animal athletes and those special skills in nature.”
Aquarium leaders say they hope a fun experience at a game can lead to lasting conservation habits.
“We’re looking to just spark that curiosity to hopefully spark that change down the road,” Brim said.
Brim said that change matters as environmental challenges continue to affect the Tennessee Valley, with pollution and microplastics among the major concerns for local waterways and wildlife.
“As plastics enter water streams, they end up in tiny pieces, and they do end up in the stomachs of freshwater animals like catfish and sturgeons,” Brim said.
Organizers emphasized that protecting rivers and ecosystems benefits more than wildlife, supporting cleaner water, healthier communities and a stronger quality of life across the region. They also said conservation efforts can start small.
“Figure out where you can have the most impact and where you can have a consistent impact from where you are,” Brim said.
Aquarium staff say they hope fans left with more than memories of the game, taking home a deeper appreciation for the animals and ecosystems that call Tennessee home.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. — Washington County, Tennessee commissioners held a special-called work session Monday night, focused on a possible tax freeze program for seniors.
The hourlong session featured a presentation from Ken Morrell, projects manager at the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office.
If Washington County signs on to the tax freeze program, people age 65 and up with an income under $45,100 could apply. The freeze would only apply to a home and up to five acres, not a business or farm on the same land.
Morrell gave the example, “I’ve got my principal residence and I’ve got an auto repair shop on the same property. It’s the part that goes with the principal residence.”
READ MORE | Tennessee Comptroller’s Office Tax Freeze Program
Twenty-seven counties and 36 cities in Tennessee are already part of the program.
Tax payments would only go up if the owner makes improvements to their home. Tax rate hikes and reassessments would have no impact.
The downside, Morrell said, is everyone else could end up paying more.
“You can obviously see a scenario where you have to add a little bit more to the rate to make up the difference the tax freeze people are not paying,” he said.
Mayor Joe Grandy said after the meeting, it was more complicated than he expected, but he believes it’s doable.
“I think people are saying, ‘Look, if these taxes go up much more, I may lose my home.’ So I think it’s really important for those folks in Washington County to be protected,” Grandy said.
However, there was no vote at the workshop, and commission chair Greg Matherly said any proposal would need to start in a committee.
That leaves some residents questioning whether commissioners are serious about taking action.
“I think it’s because the election is coming up in August and people are watching what’s being done in the county offices, and they want some help. It’s one thing to say it, but it’s another thing to do it,” resident Karen Nelson said.
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