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Tennessee school vouchers: Despite test score gains, recipients trail public school peers

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Tennessee school vouchers: Despite test score gains, recipients trail public school peers


Standardized test scores for students using Tennessee’s school vouchers have improved but continue to lag behind their peers statewide, according to data released by the state last week.

The state offers taxpayer-funded vouchers to help low-income families opt out of public schools and pay for private and parochial schools in Davidson, Hamilton and Shelby counties. The program was instituted in the 2022-23 school year for Davidson and Shelby counties after a drawn-out legal battle. Hamilton County was later added to the program. Its first batch of vouchers went out in 2023-24.

Overall, students using the vouchers trailed their peers statewide on English language arts and math scores on the state’s standardized Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests this spring. However, the students also made gains in both categories. Notably, students using vouchers in Shelby County matched their peers in math scores and surpassed them in English language arts scores this year.

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Parent survey data was also included in the release and showed a 99% satisfaction rate in the 2023-24 school year with the state voucher program, compared to 91% in the previous school year. Additionally, the report showed participation in the program grew by leaps and bounds in 2023-24, with 2,088 students enrolled. That’s a 362% increase from the 452 students enrolled the previous year.

“This report shows families are satisfied with the educational opportunities afforded by the program, and we are encouraged by the academic performance of the students participating,” Tennessee Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds said in the release.

Tennessee to push voucher expansion again in 2025

After a failed push to expand the vouchers, which are offered through the Education Savings Account Program, to the entire state in 2024, Gov. Bill Lee and Republican lawmakers are trying again for an expansion in 2025. Lee dubbed the effort the Education Freedom Act.

“A quality education has the power to change the trajectory of a child’s life, and I’m pleased with the positive gains students are making through enrollment in Tennessee’s Education Savings Account Program,” Lee said in a news release from the Tennessee Department of Education. “It’s time to build upon this foundation of progress and deliver school choice for all Tennessee parents through the Education Freedom Act.”

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Here’s a look at how the latest data breaks down for the state and all three counties where vouchers are available.

How ESA students performed vs. Tennessee peers

Across Tennessee, ESA students notched a gain of more than six percentage points in math scores and more than four percentage points in English language arts scores. The gaps between scores in both categories for ESA students and their peers also narrowed.

However, ESA students continued to perform markedly behind statewide scores, which also saw modest gains in each category.

Here’s how many students scored proficient in math and English language arts statewide in each group in 2024:

  • Statewide math: 36.7%
  • ESA students math: 17.6%
  • Statewide English language arts: 39%
  • ESA English language arts: 27.2%

The numbers, which were released Dec. 23, differ slightly from a previous Tennessean story based on preliminary data. That is likely due to the exclusion of data for schools with 10 or fewer student test scores for privacy purposes, along with an appeal and reconciliation process that may have been completed after the data was obtained by The Tennessean this summer.

How ESA students performed in Davidson County

Students in the ESA program in Davidson County and their peers across the county both made progress in math and English language arts scores.

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English language arts scores remained relatively close between ESA students and their peers across Davidson County both years, with the gap between the sets of scores narrowing slightly. However, the gap widened between ESA students and the county when it came to math scores.

Here’s how many students scored proficient in math and English language arts in each group in 2024:

  • Countywide math: 26.4%
  • ESA students math: 15.7%
  • Countywide English language arts: 30.5%
  • ESA English language arts: 28.8%

How ESA students performed in Hamilton County

Since 2023-24 was the first school year vouchers were offered in Hamilton County, only one year of data is available. ESA students in the county performed far behind their peers in math and English language arts.

Here’s how many students scored proficient in math and English language arts in each group in 2024:

  • Countywide math: 36.6%
  • ESA students math: 18.1%
  • Countywide English language arts: 39%
  • ESA English language arts: 32.2%

How ESA students performed in Shelby County

ESA students made large strides in math scores from 2022-23 to 2023-24. The latest math scores match those of their peers across the county. Additionally, ESA students also made gains in their English language arts scores, surpassing countywide scores for the second year in a row.

Countywide scores also saw modest gains in both categories.

Here’s how many students scored proficient in math and English language arts in each group in 2024:

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  • Countywide math: 18.7%
  • ESA students math: 18.7%
  • Countywide English language arts: 23.7%
  • ESA English language arts: 25.1%



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Tennessee Republicans pass a map to break up the state’s lone Democratic House seat

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Tennessee Republicans pass a map to break up the state’s lone Democratic House seat


State troopers remove people from the Tennessee House gallery on Thursday during a special session of the state legislature to redraw congressional voting maps.

George Walker IV/AP


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George Walker IV/AP

Tennessee Republicans have passed a new congressional map that would crack Memphis’ Shelby County into three different districts, in an effort to eliminate the state’s lone remaining Democratic-held seat.

Currently, Tennessee is represented by eight Republicans and one Democrat.

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The district that includes Memphis is majority Black, and Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee called a special legislative session to consider a new congressional map after the U.S. Supreme Court last week weakened the Voting Rights Act’s protections against racial discrimination in redistricting.

Thursday’s legislative votes came amid protests at the state capitol, and after a walkout by Democrats.

State Rep. Justin Pearson, a Memphis Democrat, called the new district maps “racist tools of white supremacy” in House testimony.

Tennessee GOP lawmakers defended the new map, saying their goal is partisan, to send an all-Republican delegation to Washington, D.C.

President Trump has urged Tennessee and other GOP-led states to redraw their maps before this fall’s midterm elections, as part of his mid-decade redistricting push. Earlier Thursday, Tennessee Gov. Lee signed a bill that repealed a state law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting.

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Republican lawmakers in other southern states, including Louisiana and Alabama, are moving to eliminate other majority-Black, Democratic-held districts in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision.

Before last week’s ruling, Republicans likely held a narrow lead in mid-decade redistricting — creating districts they can more easily flip to their side — by a few seats over Democratic counter-efforts. Now that lead could double, to perhaps six or seven seats. And that’s if a pro-Democratic redistricting measure approved by voters in Virginia holds up in state court.

With reporting by WPLN’s Marianna Bacallao



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TN Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for May 6, 2026

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The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 6, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from May 6 drawing

18-27-51-65-68, Powerball: 05, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto America numbers from May 6 drawing

03-06-07-18-49, Star Ball: 10, ASB: 05

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from May 6 drawing

Morning: 5-2-1, Wild: 2

Midday: 7-4-9, Wild: 9

Evening: 3-4-6, Wild: 9

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Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from May 6 drawing

Morning: 2-3-3-2, Wild: 9

Midday: 4-8-8-6, Wild: 6

Evening: 9-7-9-6, Wild: 5

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from May 6 drawing

09-12-16-18-36

Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from May 6 drawing

16-18-27-30-33, Bonus: 01

Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from May 6 drawing

04-21-36-48-69, Powerball: 05

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Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 6 drawing

06-18-30-32-43, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.

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For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:

Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.

Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.

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Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.

When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
  • Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
  • Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
  • Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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TJ Hardaway, son of late G.A. Hardaway, appointed to father’s TN house seat

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TJ Hardaway, son of late G.A. Hardaway, appointed to father’s TN house seat


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Tennessee House District 93 officially has someone in its briefly vacant seat.

Willis Lincoln TJ Hardaway III will hold the seat until the next general election in November. He has not made a decision as to if he will run officially for the seat yet, but will listen to the will of his constituents.

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The house seat was formerly held by his father, State Rep. G.A. Hardaway, a Democrat from Memphis. Hardaway died on April 24. His death left the Tennessee House District 93 seat, which encompasses South Memphis and Orange Mound and stretches to Shelby Farms, open.

Hardaway was nominated by acclamation by the board. After he was nominated to the position, he spoke to commissioners and thanked all of them by name. He said he spent the last year spending a lot of time with his father, wanted to get to know him.

“This could not have been better timing. Last year, I spent various moments one on one with my father, for no other reason other than wanting to know more about the man…turns out I already knew the man because I already know myself,” Hardaway said.

He will travel to Nashville the evening of May 6 and be sworn in to office.

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The Shelby County Commission moved swiftly to appoint someone to the seat due to the state legislature being called into a special session. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee called a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly to review the state’s congressional map on May 1, with the session beginning on May 5.

The push for redistricting Tennessee’s Congressional districts came from President Donald Trump, after the U.S. Supreme Court rolled back protections of the Voting Rights Act. The General Assembly was gaveled into the special session on May 5, which was also election day for many counties in Tennessee.

A map revealed the morning of May 6 splits the state’s 9th Congressional District and carves up Tennessee’s only majority-Black congressional seat, in Memphis. The new map shows three districts in Memphis, two of which stretch all the way to Williamson County outside Nashville.

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Brooke Muckerman is the education and children’s issues and politics reporter for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at brooke.muckerman@commercialappeal.com.



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