Gov. Bill Lee visits unique Knox County school

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Governor Bill Lee toured L&N Stem Academy in Knoxville Thursday.

The school specializes in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Lee stopped into two classrooms, a computer classroom and a room with 3D printers with students running them.

“This is a unique model that someone thought outside of the box and decided to include multiple counties around, the money from the public education formula follows the child to this school so districts do not have shortfalls financially, what we have to do first is think first about students,” Lee said Thursday.

Lee’s tour of the public school came after he had already committed to WVLT and other news outlets that he planned to reintroduce the school voucher program during the 114th General Assembly in 2025, most unchanged.

“I’ve said for a long time students don’t learn the same. Every student is different, every classroom should be different, schools should be different and we just have to find out innovative ways to give parents the options to choose what classroom is right for their student,” the governor said.

That voucher program would aim to send 20,000 Tennessee students to private school using public dollars.

The program, in its first year, would have certain requirements for admission but, if it went to plan, in its second year, all Tennessee students would be eligible for the program.

Lee’s tour lasted nearly two hours. He seemed enamored by the idea of the school and how it executed on the unique idea.

In one classroom, the governor spoke to students about the project they were working on.

When he entered the building, he spoke to three students about their plans after graduation.

“Kids that are uniquely gifted for this school have found a pathway to success based on the unique model here focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, all skills we’re going to need more of as our state progresses,” said Lee.