Over at The Education Report, I note that vouchers are not just a problem in Tennessee, they may soon be a national disaster:
From Arizona to DC, the agenda is becoming increasingly clear: privatizers are after our public schools, and they’re aiming to totally dismantle public education, replacing it with an unaccountable, voucherized, for-profit free-for-all that will undermine quality education for generations.
House Republicans are not only busy cutting Medicaid, but also working on dismantling American public education while giving the very wealthy a nice tax break.
Yes, a national school voucher scam – supported by President Trump and backed by his former Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos – is taking shape as part of the current budget wrangling.
Here’s what one group that analyzed the bill said:
“. . . we estimate that this tax avoidance maneuver would deprive the federal government and state governments of more than $2 billion in capital gains tax revenue over the next decade. This would come on top of the roughly $21.5 billion cost of the tax credit itself, bringing the net total revenue loss to over $23.6 billion.“
If you wanted to undermine public education – even in states like Kentucky with no vouchers or charter schools – this would be the way to do it.
As an example, Tennessee public school districts are estimated to lose more than $50 million in state investment in year one of the state’s new, universal school voucher scheme.
Gov. Bill Lee spent significant time and energy during his term attempting to pass a universal school voucher scheme that would provide coupons for discounted admission to private schools.
He finally convinced the legislature to pass this plan during a special legislative session early this year. In 2019, lawmakers passed a limited voucher plan – for only Memphis and Nashville – and then expanded that to Chattanooga.
The early results from that plan suggest it isn’t “working” – if by working one means helping students improve academic outcomes.
Results from other states show vouchers consistently cost a ton of money and fail to produce results.
No matter, Tennessee lawmakers are all-in.
So, here we are.
And some lawmakers are issuing a final warning about the dangerous territory Tennessee is about to enter:
Tennessee Senate Democrats said school vouchers will cost state taxpayers more than $1 billion. They also warned the plan could lead to less state funds for public schools. As a result, the Democrats are calling the plan a “billion-dollar boondoggle.”
The plan calls for 20,000 vouchers worth $7295 each to be available for students in grades K-12 to use at the private school of their family’s choice.
Nashville Organized for Action and Hope (NOAH) will host its annual “Hope in Action” banquet on May 29th. This year’s featured speaker: State Sen. Charlane Oliver, a staunch defender of public education.
NOAH says of Oliver:
This year’s keynote speaker is Tennessee State Senator Charlane Oliver, a trailblazing advocate
for equity and justice. Senator Oliver, co-founder of The Equity Alliance, has been instrumental
in advancing voting rights and empowering marginalized communities across Tennessee. Her
address will focus on the power of grassroots organizing and the importance of sustained civic
engagement.
The event is on Thursday, May 29th from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Boone Business Building on the campus of Trevecca Nazarene University.
Apparently, the proponents of Common Core haven’t learned – or, they are simply repackaging their old idea in hopes of gaining funding for “ed reform” for a few more years.
This “answer” to all of education’s problems: One big, national test. And, since we already have the NAEP – just use that. But for every kid. Every year.
This will finally give us that comparative data everyone is looking for – except no one is really looking for it.
I guess the question is: If every 4th and 8th grader took the NAEP and it was administered annually, then what? What happens next? What will states be motivated to do? Or not do?
It probably doesn’t matter – this quest gives ed reform “advocates” a few more years of work – and a new opportunity to pursue funding.
The Trump Administration made good on the promise to significantly reduce the power of the Department of Education – meaning families seeking the Department’s help with civil rights claims are now left with little recourse.
ProPublica reported this week that, since the Trump administration closed civil rights offices and fired workers at the Dept. of Ed, investigating discrimination in schools is practically “impossible” and “families’ pleas for updates and action have gone unheard.
Most of Tennessee’s legislators are not from Memphis/Shelby County, but that hasn’t stopped a cadre of them from attempting to tell the elected leaders of Memphis how to run their schools.
As the General Assembly ended its business this year, legislation that would have allowed the state to takeover Memphis-Shelby County Schools stalled:
Memphis-Shelby County Schools narrowly avoided legislation that would have expanded state control over its elected school board and budget. But lawmakers intend to bring that bill back — and other efforts to audit the district and potentially change the timing of its school board elections have advanced.
Though versions of state intervention bills passed in the House and Senate, the chambers could not reconcile them before the Tennessee General Assembly adjourned on Tuesday. Each bill called for a state-appointed oversight board whose members would be paid by the school district, but the two versions differed on what powers it gave that board, and the thresholds that would trigger state intervention.
The Southern Christian Coalition is calling out Gov. Bill Lee for his Administration’s failure to properly fund Tennessee public schools.
On news that the state now ranks 47th nationally in per student investment – and last among our Southeastern neighbors, Rev. Chris Warren -a Cumberland Presbyterian minister from Murfreesboro – said:
“Scripture reminds us often to care for both children and the vulnerable in our midst. By prioritizing voucher schemes instead of fully funding our public schools, it’s clear that Governor Lee and the Supermajority Legislature have neglected this scripture’s call. Instead, they have prioritized underfunding public education while funneling millions to vouchers. This benefits powerful outside interest groups while our children suffer.”
The Educators’ Cooperative (Nashville) is hosting a summer workshop for teachers – details from an email:
EdCo provides:
Completing Summer Workshop is how they join EdCo and gain access to our mutual aid network of cross-sector support, expertise, and resources. Plus, full scholarships are awarded to all accepted applicants.
Want to learn more about Summer Workshop? Watch this video to see teacher testimonials from last year’s.
Gov. Bill Lee is among a cohort of GOP governors trying to wean their governments off of “dependence” on the federal government. No Medicaid expansion, for example.
Nevermind that Tennesseans have paid into the federal treasury – Lee doesn’t want the money.
One might think that if there was an easy and affordable way to help feed kids over the summer, a state leader would take it. But, a number of Republican governors are not – including Tennessee’s Lee.
The Wall Street Journal digs deeper into a story I wrote about back in February.
When the federal government offered to cover the cost of feeding Tennessee’s poor children last summer, state officials accepted the cash.
Some $84 million in federal money flowed into Tennessee. The families of 700,000 kids were given $120 per child to buy food during the summer months when school is out.
Washington made the same offer for the coming summer. This time, Tennessee said no.
The WSJ story notes that Republican-led states are conflicted over accepting the Summer EBT funds – 14 are taking the money, 13 (like Tennessee) are not.
Instead of ensuring all kids have access to food this summer, Lee is starting his own program – one that leaves the fast majority of kids in need without access to food.
Tennessee can spend $1 billion to give wealthy families coupons for private schools. The state can spend hundreds of millions to build a stadium for a privately-owned football team.
But we sure can’t accept money from the federal government to ensure hungry families get a boost.
Seems that someone (Bill Lee) has some pretty mixed up priorities.
