Last verified: October 2026
| Program | 2026-27 amount | Who it serves | What it is not |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education Freedom Scholarship | $7,530 | Eligible Tennessee K-12 students, by priority tier | Payable at Category IV or V schools |
| ESA (MSCS zone) | $10,132.54 full year / $5,066.27 second semester | Income-eligible students zoned to MSCS or a former ASD school | Open to municipal-district, Tipton or Fayette students |
| IEA | Base plus average special-ed funding | Students with a qualifying Tennessee IEP | One published dollar figure |
| Dual Enrollment Grant | Up to $620.55 per course (courses 1-5) | High school juniors and seniors | Unlimited: ten courses at most |
How much does each Tennessee school-choice program pay a Memphis student in 2026-27?
For 2026-27 the Education Freedom Scholarship pays $7,530 per student anywhere in Tennessee, and the ESA pays $10,132.54 for a full year to an eligible student zoned to Memphis-Shelby County Schools ($5,066.27 for second semester only). The IEA adds average special-education funding to the base amount, so TDOE does not publish one figure for it.
For high school juniors and seniors, the Dual Enrollment Grant adds up to $620.55 for each of the first five college courses.
Why is the Memphis ESA larger than the Education Freedom Scholarship?
The ESA is built from state and local school funding, while EFS equals the state-funded base amount alone. Metro Nashville and Memphis-Shelby County students receive the same ESA amount for 2026-27; Hamilton County's is $10,093.89.
Because both amounts are set in the state budget, they can change from one school year to the next.
Does the Education Freedom Scholarship pay more in high school?
No. EFS pays the same $7,530 from kindergarten through 12th grade, so it covers far more of a parish K-8's tuition than of a Memphis college-prep high school's.
The ESA is also a flat amount by zone, not by grade.