Louisiana schools chief John White lays down a challenge for school choice advocates concerned about the regulation of scholarship programs.
A pragmatic discussion of the issue would start by defining what private school choice programs are trying to accomplish in the first place. Are advocates concerned about scale? How important for American families is validated and transparent measurement? Should the programs be principally focused on the disadvantaged students that so often are the source of advocates’ moral authority?
This is important to keep in mind this week, as advocates invoke the words and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. to defend educational choice. We can only claim the mantle of civil rights if the policies we champion prioritize the needs of the poor and the disadvantaged.
Meanwhile…
A judge leaves Nevada’s ESAs in legal limbo. Parents are now scrambling for other options.
Florida is ready to move past school choice. A bill headed to the governor’s desk would advance that trend.
The fight for an education tax credit is back in New York. Gov. Andrew Cuomo includes tax credits in his spending plan.
This might be the year for school choice legislation in Texas. Ditto for Mississippi.
Chicago students are leaving neighborhood schools.
Careful when talking about improving graduation rates.
The Charter School Growth Fund wants to invest in supporting schools.
Making school choice user-friendly.
Tweet of the week
Let’s pass the #EducationTaxCredit together! Thank You @NYGovCuomo@CardinalDolan for your leadership! pic.twitter.com/KimQGYNZ3w
— CatholicsCount (@catholics_count) January 14, 2016
Quote of the week
This is a bill that people come up to us with tears in their eyes and talk about how it’s changed their life.
—Florida Senate President Andy Gardiner, on a measure expanding Gardiner Scholarships that is now headed to Gov. Rick Scott.
If educational choice has changed your life — or if you’ve got tips, links, suggestions or feedback — reach out to tpillow[at]sufs[dot]org.
