One day after the 2024 election, Gov. Bill Lee and lawmakers rolled out a recycled “universal” private-school voucher program designed to gain support from teachers and school districts with extra spending.

The measure doesn’t have a funding estimate attached, but lawmakers placed $144 million in this year’s budget for a plan that failed to pass, and the new proposal could cost another $275 million, plus funds to give teachers a one-time $2,000 bonus. In addition, 80% of all sports wagering money is to be dedicated to building and maintaining K-12 public schools.

Lee’s plan would provide 20,000 “scholarships” worth $7,075 for students to enroll in private schools in 2025-26 with 10,000 of those for students from families at or below 300% of the maximum income to qualify for free or reduced-price lunches — which is estimated to be nearly $175,000 per household income. Students with disabilities and those in the state’s education savings account program would be eligible too.

Some 350 private schools would be eligible to participate in the program and would be required to administer the state’s standardized test or one that fits their curriculum, but the bill says they would maintain educational freedom.

The state would add 5,000 “scholarships” each year once 75% of them are provided to students.

In introducing the bill, Lee and key lawmakers said they want to offer students a chance at educational success “regardless of their ZIP code.”

“Giving parents the ability to choose for their child will provide more opportunities and reduce poverty throughout our state,” said House Speaker Cameron Sexton, who opposed the school voucher program in 2019. “Increased competition for a student’s enrollment will make schools, school systems and administrators meet the need for a higher quality of education.”

Lawmakers failed to pass a similar bill proposed by the governor earlier this year when the Senate and House couldn’t agree to widely disparate versions. The House bill contained funding to give teachers more money for insurance as well as for districts to maintain school buildings. The Senate version allowed students to transfer to any public district in the state.

Lee told reporters Wednesday this is the legislation’s “next step” and said he believes lawmakers are “moving in that direction” to pass the bill. General Assembly leaders have tried to address members’ concerns in writing the bill, he said.

House Majority Leader William Lamberth said in a statement the bill “leaves no stone unturned when it comes to providing the very best educational path to set the next generation up for success.” He said the measure will allow public schools to remain the foundation for Tennessee’s education system while enabling parents instead of the governor to determine which route helps their children the most.

The press release also says the bill “ensures state funding to school districts will never decrease due to disenrollment,” and the governor backed that up Wednesday.

One of opponents’ biggest complaints has been that private-school vouchers will drain money from public schools.

Yet the bill says a school district’s funding “shall not decrease from one year to the next year due to the disenrollment of students.” If districts lose students, the state would have to pay additional funds to those districts to cover those transfers for just one year.

In addition, the bill denies “scholarships” to undocumented students, even though a 1982 Supreme Court case, Plyler v. Doe, prohibits states from denying students a free public education based on immigration status. 

Democratic Sen. Jeff Yarbro of Nashville said it is clear the governor is trying to buy teachers’ support with bonus pay.

“It’s offensive that this voucher con job, which quite clearly will make it nearly impossible for Tennessee to keep paying teachers what they deserve, is being accompanied by this one-time token money,” Yarbro said.

The new proposal isn’t much different from the one that failed this year, Yarbro said, except that more data is available showing it won’t work.

Similar plans in states such as Kentucky, Colorado and Nebraska were defeated in the form of constitutional amendments at the polls Tuesday.

When a comparable plan was adopted in Arkansas, more than 95% of students using vouchers were enrolled in private schools already, Yarbro said.

Democratic Sen. London Lamar of Memphis criticized the plan by saying it is designed only to divert public money to private schools that are “unaccountable” and don’t have to serve all children.

Universal voucher programs also lead to “runaway spending,” Lamar said. In Arizona, a private-school voucher program, in part, caused a $1.4 billion shortfall, according to a ProPublica report.

Dark money flooded the 2024 election, especially during primaries, in an effort to elect pro-voucher lawmakers. The governor took the unusual step of endorsing pro-voucher candidates, but it is unclear whether he gained enough votes to pass a plan next session.

Republican state Rep. Todd Warner of Chapel Hill, an ardent opponent of private-school vouchers, said Wednesday he would rather see the governor lobby President-elect Donald Trump to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and get rid of federal regulations than to try to pass another voucher program.

“I honestly think that would eliminate many of the concerns that our public has with our public education system,” Warner said.

CHATTANOOGA − The opening game of Tennessee baseball’s Orange & White World Series was canceled in the second inning due to rain Wednesday at AT&T Field.

Tennessee is scheduled to play the second game of the series at 6:30 p.m. ET Friday at Smokies Stadium in Kodak. The public address announcer indicated tickets purchased for the Orange & White World Series would be good for any Chattanooga Lookouts game in 2025.

Rain steadily fell and led to a 15-minute delay before the game. The rain picked up early in the game and unloaded in the second inning. Umpires called the teams off the field after pitcher Orange pitcher Nate Snead struck out White third baseman Chris Newstrom in the bottom of the second. The White team led 1-0 thanks to a first-inning Levi Clark home run.

Liam Doyle dominated for Tennessee again

Liam Doyle got in two innings as the starter for the White team. He dominated again.

TRANSFERS: How are Tennessee baseball’s transfers looking in the fall? Here’s what to know

The Ole Miss transfer struck out five in two innings, including striking out the side in the second. He waved to the Orange dugout after striking out Colby Backus to end the second. Shortstop Gavin Kilen grounded out to Doyle in the first inning as the only batter who didn’t strike out.

Doyle threw 23 of 27 pitches for strikes.

Levi Clark homed off Nate Snead

Clark smashed a long homer to right-center off Snead with one out in the first for the lone run in the game. He also homered in Tennessee’s exhibition against Troy on Oct. 27 in Jackson.

Clark was the highest-ranked hitter in UT’s top-ranked 2024 recruiting class. He was the No. 36 recruit, according to Perfect Game. Clark started at first base, which is one of the positions he has played in the fall. He also has worked at catcher and in left field.

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Nate Snead was cruising outside of Levi Clark’s homer

Snead allowed the homer to Clark, but was cruising outside of the hit as the Orange starter.

He struck out Jay Abernathy, Dean Curley and Reese Chapman in the first inning. He struck out Newstrom before the game was called to record all four outs via strikeout.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

Everything Josh Heupel said on SEC Coaches Teleconference

Opening statement

On his relationship with Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby 

On when realized how good Tennessee’s defensive line could be this season 

On emphasis of developing defensive line in his first season