In a single kind or one other, the college selection motion has been round a very long time. But it surely has by no means acquired a shot within the arm just like the one it bought with the federal scholarship tax credit score provision within the One Huge Lovely Invoice Act, which turned legislation final July. That provision consists of essentially the most bold selection initiative up to now: a credit score of as much as $1,700 for particular person taxpayers who contribute to scholarship-granting organizations for private-school tuition.
Not surprisingly, some public faculty advocates reacted with despair on social media:
“College selection is a tactic conservatives use to defund public training and create obstacles for upward mobility.”
“College selection is a method to destroy public training and ultimately push public tax {dollars} to non-public faculties that are used to segregate college students.”
“Vouchers are a tax break for the rich.”
“Giving cash to [private] faculties is stealing from public training, and I don’t need a dime of my cash going in the direction of it.”
Nor have been policymakers immune, as reported in Ok–12 Dive:
[S]chool vouchers “sweep apart civil rights protections, assist segregation, decimate public faculty budgets, and don’t enhance pupil outcomes.”
[T]he faculty selection program “will divert billions of taxpayer {dollars} to non-public non secular faculties that indoctrinate and might discriminate towards college students and their households primarily based on the colleges’ beliefs.”
Amidst all of the adverse rhetoric, this insightful remark stood out:
“If we’re going to preserve public faculties, faculty directors want to determine a brand new supply mannequin. All-in-one faculties are more and more not what individuals need. If districts don’t adapt, non-public faculties will proceed to realize recognition, no matter how good or unhealthy they’re.”
I couldn’t agree extra.
I’ve spent over 50 years as a public faculty educator. I do know now’s the time for public faculty leaders to embrace and study from competitors, not worry it.
