Parents across Tennessee will soon be able to put taxpayer dollars toward the cost of attending private school. State lawmakers Thursday narrowly voted to expand Gov. Bill Lee’s school voucher program statewide, less than a year after a similar measure failed.

Under the Education Freedom Act, families can use taxpayer dollars to cover the cost of K-12 private school to the tune of just over $7,000 for each child — more than some school districts currently receive in per-student funding. The money will go directly from the state to the private school and can cover anything from tuition and fees to laptops and classroom supplies for the student.

Two-thirds of the families expected to receive that money are already enrolled in private school, according to a state review.

Rep. Chris Hurt, R-Hall, attempted to add an amendment to ensure that private schools don’t discriminate against students with disabilities in the admission’s process. He said he wanted to guarantee that his own daughter, who has a disability, would have the same opportunities as other students.

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