Several states pushing ‘school choice’ proposals

Presented by Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE)

With help from Kimberly Hefling, Caitlin Emma, Michael Stratford, Aidan Quigley and Carla Marinucci

SEVERAL STATES ADVANCE ‘SCHOOL CHOICE’ PROPOSALS: With a champion for charters, vouchers and other ‘school choice’ measures in charge at the Education Department, much attention has been focused on how the federal government might promote those options. But Education Secretary Betsy DeVos told state education leaders this week that whatever policy the Trump administration crafts, it would simply “ enhance” what’s already going on at the local level. Lawmakers in at least 10 states are pushing bills that would expand or create new tax credit scholarship programs, education savings accounts and voucher policies.

— Lawmakers in Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia are pushing new or expanded education savings accounts that enable families to use the money that typically would be spent on their child at public schools to pay for private school tuition and other services, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Under the model, parents can choose to use that money for a range of options, including tuition, textbooks and tutoring. The effort in Virginia is the furthest along: The bill passed the legislature and is waiting for the governor to sign — though he vetoed a similar measure last year. Several other state bills have passed through committees, but are still awaiting full votes in state Houses and Senates.

— Tax credit programs that support scholarships to private schools are the policy of choice for lawmakers in Alabama and Minnesota. DeVos has repeatedly touted Florida’s tax credit scholarship program, and lawmakers in Congress are working on a first-of-its-kind national version of that. Politicians in Tennessee, meanwhile, are pushing a traditional school voucher program that would cover private school tuition for low-income students, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

— “School choice” policies have made big gains in states ever since the Republican wave of 2010, said Josh Cunningham, senior education policy specialist, at NCSL. “It perhaps could be said that the selection of Secretary DeVos is, in part, the result of an increased energy and momentum in the school choice movement that has been building in states over the past six or seven years.”

— The advocacy group that DeVos led before she was tapped to lead the Education Department said it is optimistic about the state-level efforts. “A number of states have made promising moves in the early stages of their 2017 legislative sessions, introducing strong legislation and moving bills through committees and individual chambers already,” said Tommy Schultz, a spokesman for the American Federation for Children. He pointed to a national Beck Research poll from January that found the concept of school choice is supported by a wide 68-to-28 percent margin.

— But the measures are controversial. For evidence, look to Texas. An hours-long Senate panel hearing lasted into Tuesday night and drew more than 100 people testifying for and against an effort to create education savings accounts. The Austin American-Statesman reports the measure is one of the most divisive pieces of education legislation this session.

— Speaking of school choice, Indiana has the nation’s strongest charter school law for the second year in a row, a new report out today from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools says. The group says Maryland has the weakest law because while the state doesn’t cap charter school growth, “it allows only local school district authorizers and provides little autonomy, insufficient accountability, and inequitable funding to charter schools,” the report says.

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GOP BILL ‘JEOPARDIZES’ HEALTH CARE FOR SCHOOL KIDS, GROUPS SAY: More than 50 civil rights, school, health and other groups are urging lawmakers to shoot down the GOP’s bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, arguing the changes it would make to Medicaid might hurt millions of school children who rely on the program. “We urge you to carefully consider the important benefits that Medicaid provides to our nation’s most vulnerable children,” says a letter, signed by groups including the ACLU, AASA, The School Superintendents Association and the National Association of School Nurses. “Schools are often the hub of the community, and converting Medicaid’s financing structure to per-capita caps threatens to significantly reduce access to comprehensive health and mental and behavioral health care for children with disabilities and those living in poverty.”

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER TAKES JAB AT TRUMP: Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is “back” — at least when it comes to defending after-school programs. Reviving a battle that has raged on and off for months on Twitter, Schwarzenegger needled President Donald Trump on Tuesday about his budget proposal to slash funding for after-school programs. “That’s not what you call Making America Great Again. Come on, who’s advising you?” he said. Schwarzenegger suggested Trump go to Hart Middle School just miles from the White House to see how the programs work. As Aidan Quigley and Carla Marinucci write for POLITICO, the cuts may have special import for Schwarzenegger. He launched his political career championing after-school programs, which he said reduced delinquency and improved educational outcomes.

EXPANDING ‘CHOICE’ WITH THE LIGHTEST FEDERAL TOUCH: The Heritage Foundation, which has emerged as an influential voice for the Trump administration, is hosting a discussion this afternoon about how Trump can push school choice policies while keeping federal intervention to a minimum. The talk is moderated by Gerard Robinson, a fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute who served on Trump’s transition team. It features his AEI colleague Frederick Hess, Neal McCluskey from the Cato Institute and Robert C. Enslow of EdChoice. Heritage’s Lindsay Burke is also on the panel. Watch it here at 12:30 p.m.

TEXAS, TENNESSEE LEAD ‘SURGE’ OF TRANSGENDER ‘BATHROOM BILLS’: A year after North Carolina lawmakers passed the controversial HB2, which requires transgender people to use the bathrooms that correspond to the sex listed on their birth certificates, a handful of states are pushing similar efforts — despite the economic hit that some cities in North Carolina took, civil rights groups said Tuesday. The groups, including the ACLU, Human Rights Campaign and others, blasted Republican lawmakers in Texas, Tennessee and Arkansas for considering restricting bathroom use, in a call with reporters Tuesday. “These are absolutely terrifying the transgender people on the ground,” said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

— Tennessee’s Senate education committee is set to debate one such bill today. The Texas Senate passed a measure last week that would require public school students to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates. The effort appears less likely to pass the House, where the speaker has been a vocal critic. Arkansas lawmakers are pushing similar measures, although the governor has opposed them.

CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS TALK STUDENT LOAN SERVICING: After passing legislation last year that steps up state-level regulation of student loan servicing companies, California lawmakers are holding a hearing today about “the changing face of student loan servicing” in the state. Consumer advocates, government officials, debt activists and industry representatives are slated to testify before a state Senate committee that oversees banking and financial institutions. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Student Loan Ombudsman Seth Frotman is also scheduled to speak about the bureau’s regulation of the industry and the coordination between state and federal regulators. Read his testimony here.

COURTHOUSE DEVELOPMENT ON LOAN FEES: United Student Aid Funds sought Tuesday to end its longstanding lawsuit against the Education Department. The move likely ends a dispute that started during the Obama administration over loan collection fees. As Kimberly Hefling writes, the filing to dismiss the case follows the department’s decision last week to reverse a 2015 directive the loan guarantor had challenged. USA Funds said last year that it was transferring its student loan guarantor business to Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation. In a statement Tuesday, Great Lakes said despite the recent actions, it will continue the practice of not assessing collection costs of borrowers who agree to rehabilitate their loans within 60 days of default.

REPORT ROLL CALL

— The College Savings Plans Networks says in its 2016 year-end report that total investments by U.S. families in 529 plans reached a record level of $275.1 billion — representing a growth in assets of $21.9 billion.

— Education scholar Tom Loveless writes in the Brown Center Report on American Education out today that new survey results show that international students think U.S. schools are much less challenging than schools in their home countries — findings similar to a signature study done 15 years ago.

— A new report by the National Center for Education Statistics offers a snapshot into how many U.S. public schools students are taught by certified and experienced teachers.

— The Regional Education Laboratory Program highlights notable differences in graduation and dropout rates among subgroups of English learner students.

CALENDAR

— 8:30 a.m.: The Atlantic hosts a discussion on the future of higher ed during the Trump administration, featuring policymakers, university, and education leaders. Watch here.

— 12 p.m.: Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the ranking member of the Senate education committee, joins a Center for American Progress discussion on “Federal Voucher Programs: Implications for Public Schools and Vulnerable Students” at CAP, 1333 H Street NW, 10th Floor.

— 12 p.m.: The George Washington University Law School holds a discussion on “The Role of State Attorneys General,” featuring former New Jersey Attorney Generals Peter Harvey and John Farmer Jr. and former Texas Deputy Attorney General Ed Burbach talking about “Assault on College Campuses” at 2000 H Street NW, Burns Hall, First Floor, Tasher Great Room.

— 12:30 p.m.: The Heritage Foundation holds a discussion on “School Choice and National Education Policy: Options for Advancing Education Choice While Limiting Federal Intervention” at 214 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Allison Auditorium.

— 2:30 p.m.: The Urban Institute holds a discussion on “Technology and the City: Routes to Women’s Economic Empowerment” at 2100 M Street NW.

SYLLABUS

— More than 55,000 students at historically black colleges and universities would be affected by the elimination of a federal grant program that Trump zeroed out his budget blueprint: Inside Higher Ed.

— The Atlantic takes a dive into Georgia’s efforts to teach students with disabilities, which have created a segregated system.

— Google is donating $50 million to education tech nonprofits striving to create equal access to education around the world: Tech Crunch.

— New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s 2018 budget proposal wipes out state money for security at private schools: NJ.com.

— Grandmother of slain boy pushes for home-school law reform in Kansas: The Topeka Capital-Journal.

— A Pennsylvania high school boy is suing his school district over a policy that allows transgender students to share the gymnasium locker room: Huffington Post.

— Texas Senate panel passes bill that would require high school students, drivers-in-training and police officers to be taught how law enforcement and civilians should interact: The Texas Tribune.

Follow the Pro Education team. It’s going like a half-remembered dream. @ caitlinzemma ( [email protected]), @ khefling ( [email protected]), @ mstratford ( [email protected]) and @BenjaminEW ( [email protected]).