ICYMI: CfG President McIntosh Pushes TN Lawmakers to Pass Education Freedom Act
Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it, Club for Growth President David McIntosh authored an op-ed in The Tennessean urging state legislators to pass Governor Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Act. McIntosh also pledged to primary any Republican incumbents who fail to support the legislation, regardless of whether the bill becomes law during Tennessee’s special legislative session.
This pledge comes after Club for Growth Action and its affiliated School Freedom Fund invested $15.7 million during the 2024 election cycle, which succeeded in defeating 14 so-called Republican state-level lawmakers who opposed school freedom in Texas and Tennessee, including a $3.6 million campaign that succeeded in two Tennessee State Senate and three State House races.
In addition to the op-ed, Club for Growth ran a full-page ad in The Tennessean supporting Governor Lee’s Education Freedom Act.
Click here to read the full piece in The Tennessean.
Click here to view the ad.
EXCERPTS:
The next generation of Tennessee students can achieve their most ambitious dreams when empowered with a substantive education. Gov. Bill Lee knows this and is endorsing the Education Freedom Scholarship Act to ensure that K-12 students reach their full potential, no matter their ZIP code or socioeconomic status.
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Club for Growth recently launched a statewide ad campaign supporting the Education Freedom Act and conducted polling that showed nearly three-quarters of Tennesseans approve of the bill. Any Republican lawmaker who fails to support the measure during Gov. Lee’s special legislative session should expect to lose an expensive primary funded by Club for Growth Action.
This pledge comes after Club for Growth Action and its affiliated School Freedom Fund invested $15.7 million during the 2024 election cycle, which succeeded in defeating 14 so-called Republican state-level lawmakers who opposed school freedom in Texas and Tennessee, including a $3.6 million campaign that succeeded in two Tennessee State Senate and three State House races.
Opposing the bill isn’t just bad politics; it’s bad policy. The Education Freedom Act would expand the state’s popular Education Savings Account program by creating 20,000 tax-exempt scholarships for families to spend on educational resources at their preferred public or private school.
If enacted, the bill would provide broader educational opportunities to many underserved students to fit their learning styles. Half of the newly created scholarships would go to students whose annual household income is less than 300% of the amount needed to qualify for free lunch programs. The number of scholarships will increase year-over-year based on the program’s success.
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It is also important to note that even students who do not qualify for scholarships under the bill would benefit from the program. For example, decreased classroom sizes result in more one-on-one interactions between students and teachers.
Additionally, school administrators may update their curriculums or teaching methods to remain competitive in a demand-driven system. Towards this end, the Education Freedom Act includes a $2,000 bonus to every Tennessee public school teacher and reserves funds to build and improve K-12 public school facilities to maintain enrollment and resources.
Club for Growth’s latest campaign will resemble our past success. Along with targeted advertising, the initiative will include grassroots advocacy urging state lawmakers to support education freedom and follow Gov. Lee’s direction with their vote. Currently, constituents in 16 districts are encouraged to call their representatives to support educational freedom.
We applaud Governor Lee for his efforts to deliver more options to Tennessee students. Starting Monday, lawmakers must also commit themselves to empowering K-12 students and parents under the Education Freedom Act. Tennessee families deserve no less.