Dive Brief:

• Florida has been in the news lately for its push to expand voucher school funding. Now, Arizona and Tennessee are entering the conversation.  
• Arizona passed a bill allowing parents of special needs students enrolled in the state voucher system to get approval for additional funding through an independent contractor. Currently families must get approval from their former school district.  
• Tennessee, on the other hand, is new to the school voucher game. Legislation was approved 8-1 for the state to incorporate voucher schools into its education landscape. Lawmakers, however, still need to work out a few kinks like eligibility requirements.  

Dive Insight:

While the charter vs. public conversation has been in the limelight for the past few years, expect to see more discussion in the coming months on voucher schools.  

In Tennessee, the new legislation will affect students only in the bottom 10% of schools in the state. As Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, said, "I think people realize that when it comes to opportunity for these children we want to get the best opportunity we can, and I think that everybody will work well together to make sure that we have some program in the final analysis."  

Whether or not voucher schools are the best decision for all students in the long run — opponents argue they take funds away from traditional school districts — is up for debate.