Turning Potential into Reality: Public Education for All
Turning Potential Into Reality: Public Education for All Joshua Westfall Government Affairs Manager National PTA
Sasha Pudelski Assistant Director, Policy and Advocacy AASA, The School Superintendents Association
Agenda 1. Funding for K-12 Public Education 2. Fundamental Federal Public Education Programs 3. School Choice 4. School Vouchers 5. Federal Voucher Programs and Legislation
Funding for K-12 Public Education
Title I • Largest K-12 federal program
• Formula funding to states to distribute to school districts based on the number of low-income students in each school • Goal: Improve academic achievement for disadvantaged students
Title I serves
56,000 public schools 20 million students
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) • Main federal program authorizing state and local aid for special education and related services
• IDEA serves over 6.5 million students (13% of public school students) • Federal government promised to cover 40% of cost
2014 Funding for Education is below 2008 levels: • 23 states have less general funding per student • 27 states have less local funding per student • 36 states have less state and local funding combined
Private School Vouchers “National PTA has a longstanding position statement opposing any private school choice system—vouchers, tax credits or deductions—that would divert public school resources.”
Public School Choice “The National PTA supports educational choices within public schools and believes that parents should be involved in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of public school choice plans.”
Public School Choice • Special programs within a school • Choice of public school within the same district
• Choice of a school in another district • Magnet schools (specialized program & aligned curricula)
As long as families are engaged, students have access to free transportation, assure equal educational opportunities and public funds are used for public schools
Public Charter Schools Position Statement • Be open to all students • Free of both tuition charges and fees • Do not divert funding from public schools
• Comply with federal and state laws governing public schools (accountability) • Ensure that professional staff is certified for the position(s) they hold • Ensure meaningful family engagement
Private School Vouchers/Choice
Types of Vouchers
Backdoor Vouchers
Vouchers All Students
Traditional Targeted Vouchers • • • •
Students with Military Families Students with Disabilities Students in Poverty Students from Poor Performing Schools • Students Who Are Foster Kids
• All Students • Targeted • Military • Disabilities • Poverty • Poor Performing Schools • Foster Child
Portability Tuition Tax Credits
Backdoor Vouchers • Tuition ESAs Tax Credits • Education Savings Accounts
Title I funds “follow the child”
Portability • A Step Towards Vouchers • Title I funds “follow the student”
Traditional Voucher
Taxpayer
Government
Student
Private School
Education Savings Account
Taxpayer
Government
Savings Account
Student
Private school
Tuition Tax Credits Business or Individual
Government
Scholarship Granting Organization
Student
Title I Portability
Title I dollars
Federal Government
Portability
Federal Government
States
School Districts
States
Follows the child to school
Public Schools
Reasons to Oppose Voucher Schemes Violate Principles of Religious Freedom
Don’t Improve Education
Don’t Help Students with Disabilities
Don’t Improve Public Schools
Lack Accountability
Students Lose Rights
Schools Choose the Kids
Vouchers Don’t Help Kids in Poverty
Vouchers Aren’t Popular
Vouchers Drain Funds From Public Schools Reduces Number of Students
Reduces Number of Dollars in the Community
Vouchers Reduces Overall Dollars Overall
Places a Larger Burden on the Community
Vouchers Lack Accountability No reporting No testing No accounting for funds No teacher standards No curriculum standards (creationism, dinosaurs)
Voucher Students Lose Rights
IDEA
Title IX
Due process
Free speech
Open records
Vouchers Don’t Allow Parents to Make Better Decisions Parents aren’t given full and accurate information
Money
Academic Record
Disability
Voucher schools can reject students for many reasons:
Religion
Gender
LEGISLATION
The DC Voucher The SOAR Act
Studies Show It Isn’t Working
Appropriations & Reauthorization
The CHOICE Act Expands the DC Voucher
Transforms IDEA into Vouchers
Creates Military Vouchers
Educational Opportunities Act Creates a federal tax credit for contributions to nonprofit organizations that grant scholarships for lowincome students to attend private schools.
Dollar for dollar credit. Individual contribution limited to $2250. Couples $4,500 and $100,00 for corporations. Student eligibility would be capped at a family income less than 250% of the poverty line
Panel Discussion Panelists: • Lisa Trevathan Holbrook, President, Texas PTA • Moira Lenehan-Razzuri, Senior Policy Advisor, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI)
• Sasha Pudelski, Assistant Director of Policy and Advocacy, AASA, The School Superintendents Association • Joshua Westfall, Manager of Government Affairs, National PTA Moderator: Tyler Barr, Legislation Committee Member, National PTA
• National PTA Event App
Sasha Pudelski Assistant Director, Policy and Advocacy AASA, The School Superintendents Association
Agenda 1. Funding for K-12 Public Education 2. Fundamental Federal Public Education Programs 3. School Choice 4. School Vouchers 5. Federal Voucher Programs and Legislation
Funding for K-12 Public Education
Title I • Largest K-12 federal program
• Formula funding to states to distribute to school districts based on the number of low-income students in each school • Goal: Improve academic achievement for disadvantaged students
Title I serves
56,000 public schools 20 million students
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) • Main federal program authorizing state and local aid for special education and related services
• IDEA serves over 6.5 million students (13% of public school students) • Federal government promised to cover 40% of cost
2014 Funding for Education is below 2008 levels: • 23 states have less general funding per student • 27 states have less local funding per student • 36 states have less state and local funding combined
Private School Vouchers “National PTA has a longstanding position statement opposing any private school choice system—vouchers, tax credits or deductions—that would divert public school resources.”
Public School Choice “The National PTA supports educational choices within public schools and believes that parents should be involved in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of public school choice plans.”
Public School Choice • Special programs within a school • Choice of public school within the same district
• Choice of a school in another district • Magnet schools (specialized program & aligned curricula)
As long as families are engaged, students have access to free transportation, assure equal educational opportunities and public funds are used for public schools
Public Charter Schools Position Statement • Be open to all students • Free of both tuition charges and fees • Do not divert funding from public schools
• Comply with federal and state laws governing public schools (accountability) • Ensure that professional staff is certified for the position(s) they hold • Ensure meaningful family engagement
Private School Vouchers/Choice
Types of Vouchers
Backdoor Vouchers
Vouchers All Students
Traditional Targeted Vouchers • • • •
Students with Military Families Students with Disabilities Students in Poverty Students from Poor Performing Schools • Students Who Are Foster Kids
• All Students • Targeted • Military • Disabilities • Poverty • Poor Performing Schools • Foster Child
Portability Tuition Tax Credits
Backdoor Vouchers • Tuition ESAs Tax Credits • Education Savings Accounts
Title I funds “follow the child”
Portability • A Step Towards Vouchers • Title I funds “follow the student”
Traditional Voucher
Taxpayer
Government
Student
Private School
Education Savings Account
Taxpayer
Government
Savings Account
Student
Private school
Tuition Tax Credits Business or Individual
Government
Scholarship Granting Organization
Student
Title I Portability
Title I dollars
Federal Government
Portability
Federal Government
States
School Districts
States
Follows the child to school
Public Schools
Reasons to Oppose Voucher Schemes Violate Principles of Religious Freedom
Don’t Improve Education
Don’t Help Students with Disabilities
Don’t Improve Public Schools
Lack Accountability
Students Lose Rights
Schools Choose the Kids
Vouchers Don’t Help Kids in Poverty
Vouchers Aren’t Popular
Vouchers Drain Funds From Public Schools Reduces Number of Students
Reduces Number of Dollars in the Community
Vouchers Reduces Overall Dollars Overall
Places a Larger Burden on the Community
Vouchers Lack Accountability No reporting No testing No accounting for funds No teacher standards No curriculum standards (creationism, dinosaurs)
Voucher Students Lose Rights
IDEA
Title IX
Due process
Free speech
Open records
Vouchers Don’t Allow Parents to Make Better Decisions Parents aren’t given full and accurate information
Money
Academic Record
Disability
Voucher schools can reject students for many reasons:
Religion
Gender
LEGISLATION
The DC Voucher The SOAR Act
Studies Show It Isn’t Working
Appropriations & Reauthorization
The CHOICE Act Expands the DC Voucher
Transforms IDEA into Vouchers
Creates Military Vouchers
Educational Opportunities Act Creates a federal tax credit for contributions to nonprofit organizations that grant scholarships for lowincome students to attend private schools.
Dollar for dollar credit. Individual contribution limited to $2250. Couples $4,500 and $100,00 for corporations. Student eligibility would be capped at a family income less than 250% of the poverty line
Panel Discussion Panelists: • Lisa Trevathan Holbrook, President, Texas PTA • Moira Lenehan-Razzuri, Senior Policy Advisor, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI)
• Sasha Pudelski, Assistant Director of Policy and Advocacy, AASA, The School Superintendents Association • Joshua Westfall, Manager of Government Affairs, National PTA Moderator: Tyler Barr, Legislation Committee Member, National PTA
• National PTA Event App
