[Kalé Carey]
IT’S ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR YET DIVISIVE DEBATES IN EDUCATION TODAY: SCHOOL CHOICE.
FROM VOUCHERS TO TAX CREDITS–WHAT DO THEY MEAN AND **WHO REALLY REALLY BENEFITS?
ON MAY THIRD, TEXAS JOINED THE GROWING LIST OF STATES SWITCHING TO SCHOOL CHOICE — LAUNCHING ITS OWN PROGRAM INTO LAW.
[Gov. Greg Abbott | R Texas]
“Gone are the days that families are limited to only the school assigned by government. The day has arrived that empowers parents to choose the school that’s best for thor child.”
[Kalé Carey]
THE TEXAS BILL CREATES A PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHER SYSTEM THAT ALLOCATES ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
THE PROGRAM ALLOWS TEXAS FAMILIES TO USE PUBLIC, TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO PAY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL, HOMESCHOOLING OR VIRTUAL EDUCATION.
FAMILIES CAN RECEIVE UP TO TEN-THOUSAND DOLLARS PER CHILD ANNUALLY.
FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, IT’S UP TO $32-THOUSAND DOLLARS
BEFORE TEXAS, TENNESSEE PASSED ITS UNIVERSAL SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM IN FEBRUARY.
A LITTLE LESS THAN A YEAR BEFORE , ALABAMA PASSED ITS UNIVERSAL SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM, THE CHOOSE ACT.
[GOV. KAY IVEY | R-AL]
“Our plan will not only work for Alabama families, it will work for our state and it will be effective and sustainable for generations to come.”
[Kalé Carey]
ADVOCATES SAY DEMAND FOR SCHOOL CHOICE HAS NEVER BEEN HIGHER, AS PARENTS GROW DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION — ESPECIALLY AFTER COVID-19.
HOWEVER, CRITICS WARN THESE INITIATIVES CAN SHIFT CRITICAL FUNDING AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO PRIVATE ONES
[Dr. Hilary Wething | Economist, Economic Policy Institute]
“For students who are in public schools who are leaving to take up these vouchers. It can have pretty severe effects on the public schools. Public schools rely on enrollment to determine their funding when a policy shock happens, like voucher programs, this essentially leads to a shock in potential enrollment decline. That means they’re getting a shock in their funding that they did not anticipate. What that means essentially for the public school is now they have fewer funds available to educate the students that remain in public school.
[Kalé Carey]
HILARY WETHING IS A ECONOMIST WITH THE ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE, WHICH RECEIVES SOME FUNDING FROM TEACHER UNIONS.
SHE SAYS CHANGING FUNDING HAS LASTING EFFECTS.
WETHING TELLS US SCHOOLS COUNT ON THE FUNDS FOR FIXED COSTS LIKE ELECTRICITY, HEATING, AND FOOD.
AS A RESULT, THEY HAVE LESS MONEY TO SPEND ON COSTS LIKE SALARIES.
BUT NOT ALL SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAMS ARE CREATED EQUALLY.
SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAMS ARE STATE-RUN SYSTEMS THAT ALLOW PARENTS TO USE PUBLIC FUNDING FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION. THESE PROGRAMS USUALLY COME IN THE FORM OF A COUPON OF CREDIT TO PARENTS.
IN STATES WITH TAX-CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS COMPANIES OR INDIVIDUALS ARE ENCOURAGED TO DONATE TO A SCHOLARSHIP-GRANTING ORGANIZATION.
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THEN GIVE MONEY TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS TO USE TOWARD TUITION AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL.
AND THEN THERE ARE STATES WITH EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, OR E-S-A’S.
THEY SET ASIDE FUNDS IN INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS FOR PARTICIPATING STUDENTS.
PARENTS CAN WITHDRAW THAT MONEY TO SPEND ON APPROVED EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES.
THESE FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION OR OTHER EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES LIKE TUTORING, ONLINE COURSES OR TRANSPORTATION.
THESE PROGRAMS ORIGINALLY TARGETED STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES BUT MANY STATES HAVE STARTED EXPANDING THEM TO ALLOW MOST FAMILIES TO PARTICIPATE.
FAMILIES ON THESE PROGRAMS WILL NOT GET THE ENTIRE AMOUNT THE STATE SPENDS ON A STUDENT ON AVERAGE.
MOST PROGRAMS GIVE FAMILIES AROUND SIXTY TO NINETY PERCENT OF WHAT THE STATE SPENDS ON A STUDENT.
WHAT’S LEFT, TYPICALLY THE FEDERAL AND LOCAL FUNDING, REMAIN WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM OR GET RETAINED BY THE STATE.
NOW NOT EVERY STATE RUNS ITS PROGRAM THE SAME WAY
TAKE FLORIDA FOR EXAMPLE–
IT OFFERS A UNIVERSAL E-S-A PROGRAM.
FLORIDA GIVES EACH K THROUGH TWELVE STUDENT MORE THAN EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL, HOMESCHOOL MATERIALS, ONLINE COURSES, TUTORING AND MORE.
INDIANA, ON THE OTHER HAND, USES A VOUCHER SYSTEM.
IT GIVES MOST K THROUGH TWELVE STUDENTS IN THE STATE UP TO NINETY-PERCENT OF WHAT THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOL WOULD HAVE SPENT ON THEM…ABOUT 63 HUNDRED DOLLARS ON AVERAGE, ACCORDING TO EDCHOICE.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE STATE GET TO KEEP WHAT’S LEFT OF THE FUNDING.
A MAJOR DIFFERENCE–INDIANA HAS LIMITS ON WHO QUALIFIES.
FAMILIES EARNING UP TO FOUR HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE LUNCH LEVEL ARE ELIGIBLE.
FLORIDA HAS NO LIMITS.
IN 20-22, ARIZONA LAWMAKERS PASSED A SCHOOL E-S-A BILL.
PRO-PUBLICA REPORTS THE PLAN ORIGINALLY WAS SET TO COST THE STATE JUST UNDER $65 MILLION DOLLARS…. INSTEAD IT BALLOONED TO MORE THAN $320-MILLION DOLLARS, CAUSING A STATE BUDGET CRISIS.
THAT CLAIM, WHICH ORIGINATED FROM A TEACHER UNION, IS OFTEN REFUTED BY POINTING TO SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAMS’ EFFECTS ON EDUCATION BUDGETS.
DESPITE THE E-S-A PROGRAM BEING BIGGER THAN EXPECTED, ARIZONA ENDED FISCAL YEAR 2024 WITH EDUCATIONAL SPENDING AT MORE THAN FOUR MILLION DOLLARS UNDER PROJECTIONS.
NATHAN SANDERS, A POLICY AND ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR EDCHOICE, AN ORGANIZATION THAT BACKS VOUCHER AND E-S-A EFFORTS,
SAYS PARENTS USE THESE PROGRAMS TO BETTER EXERCISE THEIR OPTIONS FOR THEIR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION.
[Nathan Sanders: Policy and Advocacy Director, EdChoice]
“‘OK, well, let’s give parents options,’ and that’s what these educational choice programs do is they give parents the opportunity to have those options and say, ‘I’m not satisfied with this school. I’m going to go and homeschool my kid and use these resources for home schooling,’ or I’m going to use these resources for a micro school or private school down the road.”
“I think always, we always try to remind people that that’s where the focus is. It’s about the families and it’s about what’s best for them and we put a lot of emphasis on trusting parents and letting parents make the decision for their kids.”
[Kalé Carey]
WHILE MANY LAWMAKERS, VOTERS, AND PARENTS GROUPS SUPPORT THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS, THERE ARE GROUPS PUSHING BACK.
AMONG THEM… THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.
THE N-E-A IS THE LARGEST LABOR UNION IN THE U-S THAT REPRESENTS PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS AND FACULTY.
THE N-E-A, WHICH BACKS WETHING’S E-P-I, BELIEVES THESE SCHOOL-CHOICE PROGRAMS COULD PUT TOO MUCH FINANCIAL PRESSURE ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
WETHING NOTES WHEN FAMILIES USE VOUCHERS OR E-S-AS, THAT MEANS ENROLLMENT AT THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS DROP WHICH WHICH LEADS TO LESS FUNDING SINCE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING ALLOCATIONS ARE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENROLLED.
[Dr. Hilary Wething | Economist, Economic Policy Institute]
“What that means for the public school, essentially, is they’re left with less funding to provide the same quality of education for students that didn’t make the choice to take up the voucher program. There’s inherently this cost into public schools just by being kind of the collateral damage of these voucher programs.”
[Kalé Carey]
A 20-24 REPORT BY THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, A TEACHERS UNION AFFILIATED WITH THE AFL-CIO, FOUND THAT MOST STATES HAVE DEVOTED A SMALLER SHARE OF THEIR ECONOMIES TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAN THEY DID IN 2006.
THE SAME REPORT ALSO FOUND THAT 60 PERCENT OF STUDENTS IN CHRONICALLY UNDERFUNDED DISTRICTS LIVE IN ONLY 10 STATES.
NEARLY ALL OF THOSE STATES HAVE OPTED FOR SOME SORT OF SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT SPENT ON PUBLIC EDUCATION HAS INCREASED DURING THAT SAME TIME.
A REPORT BY THE EDUCATION DATA INITIATIVE ALSO SHOWS THE U-S IS SPENDING MORE PER STUDENT THAN MOST OTHER DEVELOPED NATIONS.
SCHOOL-CHOICE OPPONENTS SAY SOME SCHOOLS ARE FORCED TO CUT STUDENT SERVICES DUE TO FUNDING DECREASES FROM THESE PROGRAMS.
[Dr. Hilary Wething | Economist, Economic Policy Institute]
“I’ve seen services like guidance counselors sharing nurses among a few schools, reducing the amount of pupil support services or instructional support, particularly students that might have some learning disabilities or higher needs. All of those get cut by a bigger percentage point than they should because schools now have to pay on their fixed costs, and they have fewer funds overall because of this decline in enrollment due to a policy shock that they couldn’t plan for.”
[Kalé Carey]
SCHOOL CHOICE ADVOCATES COUNTER THAT CLAIM, SAYING THE COST OF THESE PROGRAMS IS A SMALL FRACTION OF A STATE’S TOTAL EDUCATION BUDGET.
SANDERS SAYS MOST PROGRAMS ONLY USE ABOUT ONE PERCENT OF A STATE’S TOTAL K THROUGH TWELVE BUDGET, THOUGH SOME STATES SPEND MORE.
[Nathan Sanders: Policy and Advocacy Director, EdChoice]
“Educational choice programs as it relates to education funding as a whole, for every state on average, education choice programs were only about 1% of education funding. So you’re talking like, you know, you hear all these these claims and these worries that these ESA funding will bankrupt States and or bankrupt School system and that can’t be further from the truth. I mean, these programs are literally pennies on the dollar for what education funding is usually in different states.”
[Kalé Carey]
STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS RESEARCH SHOWS MOST STATES ON AVERAGE USE ABOUT ONE-POINT-SEVEN-FOUR PERCENT OF THEIR TOTAL K THROUGH TWELVE BUDGET ON SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAMS.
FLORIDA SPENDS MORE THAN TEN-PERCENT OF ITS K THROUGH 12 FUNDING ON PRIVATE SCHOOL CHOICE, MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE.
ARIZONA CAME IN SECOND WITH JUST OVER EIGHT PERCENT
HOWEVER, RESEARCH FROM E-P-I PUTS FLORIDA’S SCHOOL CHOICE BUDGET ALLOCATION MUCH HIGHER, AT MORE THAN 25 PERCENT.
AND SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THEY WERE INITIALLY ESTIMATED TO BE.
THERE’S ALSO CONCERN PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN STATES WITH VOUCHERS AND E-S-AS WILL RAISE COSTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, A STUDY FROM PRINCETON UNIVERSITY FOUND WHEN IOWA PASSED ITS E-S-A PLAN IN 20-23, PRIVATE SCHOOLS RAISED TUITION BY AS MUCH AS 25 PERCENT.
WHEN THE STATE LIMITED ELIGIBILITY TO STUDENTS IN CERTAIN GRADES, PRIVATE SCHOOLS RAISED RATES AGAIN BUT BY UP TO 16 PERCENT.
MEANWHILE, OVER THE SAME PERIOD PRIVATE SCHOOLS LEFT RATES TUITION FOR PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN, WHO WEREN’T ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM, UNTOUCHED.
[Dr. Hilary Wething | Economist, Economic Policy Institute]
“Oftentimes, we’ve seen that these voucher programs, the schools that will take vouchers for students, will raise their tuition prices as the voucher funding goes in, making it still unattainable for low-income students to even take these vouchers.”
[Kalé Carey]
HOWEVER, SANDERS CLAIMS PRIVATE SCHOOLS WILL SOMETIMES OPERATE AT A LOSS OR CUT PARTS OF THEIR BUDGET TO TEACH AT A LOWER COST.
HE SAID AS MORE FAMILIES PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAMS, THE MARKET WILL CHANGE TO ALLOW MORE COMPETITIVE PRIVATE SCHOOL COSTS.
[Nathan Sanders: Policy and Advocacy Director, EdChoice]
“The more families you have participating in the education market, market conditions will eventually work that out right after a year or two, the program has passed, things will be, you know, new schools will start to sign up for the program, new families will start to sign up for the program, but ultimately you’ll see a competitive market. And what that also means is competitive tuition and Competitive education costs.”
[Kalé Carey]
SANDERS AND EDCHOICE SAID THE E-S-A THAT IOWA PROVIDES TO STUDENTS STILL COVERS THE AVERAGE COST OF PRIVATE SCHOOL.
SO, EVEN WITH THE TUITION HIKE, THE PROGRAM STILL COVERED THE AVERAGE COST OF PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION.
STILL CRITICS SAY MANY OF THESE PROGRAMS DON’T COVER THE FULL COST OF PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION, AND EVEN IF THEY DO, FAMILIES MAY HAVE EXTRA COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PRIVATE SCHOOLING.
ACCORDING TO DATA S-A-N COMPILED FROM EDCHOICE, STATE WEBSITES AND THE EDUCATION DATA INITIATIVE, ONLY FOUR STATES – ARKANSAS, IOWA, OKLAHOMA AND WISCONSIN – HAD VOUCHER AVERAGES THAT PAID THE FULL COST OF THE AVERAGE PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION IN THE STATE.
SANDERS SAYS EVEN THOUGH SOME STATES DON’T COVER THE FULL AMOUNT OF PRIVATE SCHOOL, FAMILIES ARE STILL HAPPY TO SACRIFICE FOR THEIR KIDS EDUCATION..
[Nathan Sanders: Policy and Advocacy Director, EdChoice]
“But say the ESA is $6,000, which is probably a good average for most states that are passing these programs. You know, a lot of parents are able to still sacrifice. The parents have been sacrificing before they’re able to sacrifice maybe another, you know, a little bit of that and have this ESA to cover the rest, and that’s still a huge relief to families. So even if an ESA amount seems a little bit smaller that doesn’t discount the the the ability to for families to sacrifice and still send their kids to a better school.”
[Kalé Carey]
ONE THING MANY ADVOCATES BRING UP IS HOW SCHOOL CHOICE IMPROVES STUDENTS’ GRADES.
WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE IMPACT THE PROGRAMS HAVE MADE SO FAR… PLUS REACTIONS FROM PARENTS IN PART TWO… “SCHOOL CHOICE… IS IT THE RIGHT CHOICE?”
