Public school supporters should recognize that vouchers can work for some families under the right conditions.
Source: Public School Supporters Shouldn’t Reject Vouchers on Principle | Knowledge Bank | US News
School Vouchers Aren’t Working, but Choice Is – The New York Times
Betsy DeVos’s favorite education policy keeps looking worse. Last week, the Education Department, which she runs, released a careful study of the District of Columbia’s use of school vouchers, which she supports. The results were not good.
Students using vouchers to attend a private school did worse on math and reading than similar students in public school, the study found. It comes after other studies, in Ohio and elsewhere, have also shown weak results for vouchers.
Arizona is expanding its school-voucher program. What does it mean for parents?
The Arizona Legislature has passed one of the most expansive school-voucher programs in the nation.
In April, Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law Senate Bill 1431, which allows all 1.1 million public-school students to apply for the Empowerment Scholarship Account program. The program gives public funds to students to use on private-school tuition, therapies and other educational services. Republican lawmakers narrowly approved the plan, which allows an estimated 30,000 students to take part in the program by 2022.
Source: Arizona is expanding its school-voucher program. What does it mean for parents?
School Vouchers – Florida’s McKay Program Appears to Boost Performance
As schools compete, the state’s national education ranking skyrockets.
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos likes to point to Florida’s education reforms from the Jeb Bush era as a potential model for expanding school choice. It’s a reasonable place to start given that adoption of these policies in the early 2000s coincided with outstanding educational improvements in the state. Statewide progress on the National Assessment for Educational Progress, a test administered over time by the federal government, has far outstripped that of the nation and nearly all states.
Source: School Vouchers — Florida’s McKay Program Appears to Boost Performance | National Review
Secretary DeVos praises Florida’s voucher-like program. Here’s what it means for school reform
Florida has channeled billions of taxpayer dollars into scholarships for poor children to attend private schools over the past 15 years, using tax credits to build a laboratory for school choice that the Trump administration holds up as a model for the nation.
The voucher-like program, the largest of its kind in the country, helps pay tuition for nearly 100,000 students from low-income families.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signs sweeping school voucher bill
PHOENIX (AP) – Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has signed a major school voucher expansion bill that will extend eligibility to all 1.1 million state schoolchildren despite vehement opposition from Democrats who believe it will undercut public education and cost taxpayers untold millions of dollars.
“When parents have more choices, kids win,” Ducey tweeted after the House and Senate barely passed the legislation Thursday evening.
Source: Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signs voucher bill – WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports
Betsy DeVos, U.S. Education secretary, talks about the possibility of children with parents in the military using school vouchers during a trip to Fort Bragg
U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, on a visit to a Fort Bragg school, talked about allowing some children in military families to use vouchers.
Tulsa, OK: The school voucher debate by Bishop Kelley’s president and the Jenks school board president
The presidents of Bishop Kelley High School and the Jenks school board defended opposing views on school vouchers at a luncheon Wednesday.
Pa. House backs $75 million expansion of school choice tax credit programs | PennLive.com
The House of Representatives has thrown down a marker in Pennsylvania’s upcoming 2017-18 budget negotiations by passing legislation to boost funding for popular tax credit programs that support school choice opportunities.
By a 147-39 bi-partisan vote, the chamber approved legislation, sponsored by House Speaker Mike Turzai, would increase funding for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program to $175 million from the current $125 million.
It also would raise the amount of tax credits for the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program to $75 million from the current $50 million.
Both programs give state tax breaks to businesses that make contributions to educational programs.
Source: Pa. House backs $75 million expansion of school choice tax credit programs | PennLive.com
