A Voucher By Any Other Name

Is still bad for Tennessee students and a raw deal for Tennessee taxpayers.

The Tennessee Education Association has some analysis:

It is clear that privatizers are favoring Education Savings Accounts as a new means to try to change the conversation after five years of stinging defeats when peddling more traditional voucher legislation.  While ESAs are referred to by some as “vouchers light,” nothing could be further from the truth.

ESAs are vouchers on steroids, as recipients are sent money directly rather than applying it toward the cost of private school tuition.  As such, parents can then spend the funds however they like, even if that means keeping their children home and not attending school at all.

This super voucher has been used in other states with disastrous results.  Sending funds directly to parents has invited widespread fraud and abuse of voucher funds.

“The fact is, we have truant officers for a reason,” says TEA chief lobbyist Jim Wrye.  “The state will be providing a monetary incentive for the misuse of funds and children will suffer as a result.”

Stay tuned as the legislative session develops and vouchers in some form emerge at the General Assembly.

For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport


 

2 thoughts on “A Voucher By Any Other Name

  1. Educational savings account taxpayer $ sent directly to parents?? You’ve got to be kidding!! A voucher is a voucher is a voucher – just as a a “public” charter school is a private school in sheep’s clothing.

  2. Vouchers are nothing but a scheme to get ALL children in the data pipeline and ensure that all children no matter where they are educated are indoctrinated with the same horrible education. In the end parents will have choice of location but no choice in what there kids are taught or even worse what they are not taught. Schemes are just that…..schemes and someone always benefits but when it comes to education schemes our children are never the winners.

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