A St Patty’s Day Special Edition…Finding Rainbows…Driving out Snakes and a much needed Irish Blessing.
BLAINE AMENDMENTS JOIN THE WALKING DEAD… UNIONS PLAY LUCY WITH CHARLIE BROWN’S FOOTBALL…PARENTS CONTINUE TO PUSHBACK.
Here we are – the first week of Spring! Mother Nature shows her glory and hope is in the air. Of course there are clouds, as we report, but also lots of silver linings.KENTUCKY DERBY FOR KIDS. The winners in the most important race in Kentucky lawmaking are the kids and families who will now have access to a new state tax credit program that will increase access to educational options. After some horsing around in the executive mansion, Democratic Governor Andy Beshear’s veto of the lifesaving program was overridden in both KY chambers. Advocates on the ground and national groups, like EdChoice and AFC, have worked long and hard to give parents and kids a voice in whether and how they are educated. It was a Secretariat level win.
TAKE UP YOUR SWORD. Rather than congratulate the victors, Beshear immediately proclaimed – wrongly – that the program is unconstitutional. Never have we been so happy to hear a governor say something so stupid – and so wrong, because the jurisprudence is now unequivocally on our side – and the fight will be short lived.
Last June, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Montana’s Blaine Amendment, a decision which condemned similar Blaine Amendments in 36 other state constitutions, and removed the only perceived legal impediment to greater freedom for many families. In a paper authored for CER, Former Solicitor General Paul Clement argued that “Proponents of school choice should not just welcome but capitalize upon the Court’s increasingly skeptical view of efforts to stymie evenhanded state funding measures by invoking outdated state provisions irreconcilable with federal law.” Get it here
MORE STATES FOLLOWING SUIT. Did the unions really think that state legislators were going to sit back and let them monopolize school decisions for another year, another decade? Did the Biden Administration, failing to hear the cries of children and families in this tumultuous year really think that trillions of dollars and union favoritism would kill off the hope and need of millions?
As this Wall Street Journal piece makes clear, the floodgates are open. In the last few months alone CER has seen a flurry of school choice legislative activity in the following states:
ARIZONA has moved a massive expansion of its voucher program, GEORGIA is working on expanding its special needs scholarship program. NEBRASKA House Education Committee members advanced a bill benefiting low income families and SOUTH DAKOTA Governor Kristi Noem signed into law a Freedom Scholarship Bill that creates a $200 million endowment for needs-based scholarships.
And don’t forget the lesson of the MOUNTAINEERS, which as the state’s motto proclaims ARE ALWAYS FREE, and their path breaking reforms just signed into law last week. WEST VIRGINIA kids will never be confined again to schools by their zip code.
GOT PARENT POWER? When traditional education works for families, everyone wins. But when it fails parents, as it has miserably this year, they take action. If you’re not in-the-know on what level of education opportunity and innovation is provided by your state, and you are ready to act, now is the time to check back in with CER’s Parent Power! Index (PPI), the most comprehensive analysis of states’ structural and behavioral policies that inform parents and allow them to make decisions regarding the education of their children, within or outside any crisis. Discover the best tool for parents looking to make the best choice for their children’s education.
THE ESSENTIAL DATABASE. And if you’re like most parents who are doing it yourself now, or teachers who are having to create their own programs to help students, you’ll want to check out this unparalleled database for learning tools on anything your students need for virtual and online learning – or even to create your own microschools.This time of rebirth, in the midst of Passover, days from Easter, is a great time to recommit to helping families build a better future for their children. Just like the high Holy Days teach us, nothing good comes without struggle. Wishing you and yours a Blessed Week.
Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout U.S. education. We’re always delighted to hear from our readers…suggestions, questions and even the occasional complaint!