The Dallas Weekly’s Post

BLACC supports public school choice, and so do 75% of parents. Every family deserves the ability to choose a public education that best fits their children's unique needs. That is why we fiercely advocate for The Charter Schools Program (CSP), the only dedicated federally funded program that supports the creation, expansion, and replication of public charter schools. CSP funding helped cover the start-up costs for nearly half of the 8 thousand charter schools operating in the US, providing school choice for nearly 1 million students. Despite representing 8% of public schools, the CSP, at $440 million, accounts for less than 1% of federal k-12 spending. Despite its significance, federal funding for charter school expansion has remained unchanged for the past five years. Even more concerning, President Biden’s proposed budget for FY 2025 reduces CSP funding by almost 10%, putting charter school progress at risk. We don’t want a cut, we need an increase! We urge policymakers to reassess this cut and make high-quality, fair learning environments a priority for all. Reverse the cuts and increase CSP funding to $500 million. Take action now! Reach out to your Member of Congress to protect and enhance this essential program.

My latest column Broad + Liberty “Parents & Children vs Politicians & Teachers Union” From the column: “Pennsylvania is at a political crossroads. It’s an academic, economic, and moral crossroads. Whether you have children in school or not, this is our fight. My colleague at the Commonwealth Foundation, Dave Hardy — our Distinguished Senior Fellow — often states that most families have “school choice: ‘they pay for a safe and better school, they move to a better neighborhood or school district, or they use “connections” (or a false address) to get their child into a better school.’ Hardy asks us to think: ‘What about the other children? The students whose parents can’t afford taxes and tuition or to move, or who didn’t get their number pulled at the charter school lottery?’ This Pennsylvania budget is really about one question for Governor Shapiro and the state legislators: Who are you for, the children looking for hope, or the special interests?” Commonwealth Foundation RealClearPolitics PA Families for Education Choice Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools https://lnkd.in/e7Ck8KmM

"In 1990, states began allowing students to attend private school at public expense. Most of the early initiatives were small and confined to students who were low-income, had special needs, or attended low-performing public schools. Over the past three years, the scope of these programs has expanded significantly: a decades-long campaign by school-choice proponents found a receptive audience in parents frustrated with public schooling during the pandemic, resulting in a striking expansion of private school choice and a dramatic rethinking of which students should be able to participate. "Today, of the 33 states with private school choice programs, 12 have laws allowing any student, regardless of income or need, to apply for government funding to subsidize their private, religious, or, in some cases, homeschool education. We have calculated that 569,000 students received public subsidies for private schooling in 2023-24 under universal programs in the eight states where the programs were up and running, representing 55 percent of the students attending private school with public funding that year, at a cost to taxpayers of about $4 billion. With the introduction of the new programs, 40 percent of the nation’s 50 million elementary and secondary students are now eligible for public subsidies." Read FutureEd's fact-filled report here.

“Decoupling” legislation passed last year by the Wisconsin State Assembly would save taxpayers in the Manitowoc School District more than $1.5 million – a move supported by School Choice Wisconsin last legislative session. “Thousands of Wisconsin families use vouchers to get the best educational outcomes for their kids every year. The solution isn’t fewer choices for parents – it’s empowering them with more,” said Nicholas Kelly, President of School Choice Wisconsin. “Decoupling legislation last session would have addressed this issue and saved taxpayers millions of dollars, but the teacher’s unions opposed it. It’s a common-sense solution that will put the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program on the same level as the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and benefit all students in all school systems.” 🔗 READ MORE: https://lnkd.in/guzaxNQY

BLACC supports public school choice, and so do 75% of parents. Every family deserves the ability to choose a public education that best fits their children's unique needs. That is why we fiercely advocate for The Charter Schools Program (CSP), the only dedicated federally funded program that supports the creation, expansion, and replication of public charter schools. CSP funding helped cover the start-up costs for nearly half of the 8 thousand charter schools operating in the US, providing school choice for nearly 1 million students. Despite representing 8% of public schools, the CSP, at $440 million, accounts for less than 1% of federal k-12 spending.  Despite its significance, federal funding for charter school expansion has remained unchanged for the past five years. Even more concerning, President Biden’s proposed budget for FY 2025 reduces CSP funding by almost 10%, putting charter school progress at risk. We don’t want a cut, we need an increase! We urge policymakers to reassess this cut and make high-quality, fair learning environments a priority for all. Reverse the cuts and increase CSP funding to $500 million. Take action now! Reach out to your Member of Congress to protect and enhance this essential program.

🚨 Exciting News in Education Legislation! 🚨 Rep. Shelby Labs, R-Doylestown, and Rep. Joe Hogan, R-Penndel, have introduced House Bill 1898, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at enhancing school safety across Pennsylvania. 🏫💙 🌟 Introducing the Safe Schools Fund Grant Program: In response to the challenges many school districts face in funding School Resource Officers (SROs), Labs and Hogan propose a $250 million plan to establish a grant program. This program will provide financial support for school districts across the state wishing to hire SROs, promoting a safer and more secure learning environment for our students. 🛡️💼 👩🏫 Investing in School Safety: Recognizing the financial strain on local budgets, Labs and Hogan are championing a cause that directly addresses the need for increased school safety measures. The grants, funded at $250 million annually, aim to cover a significant portion of the costs associated with employing SROs, allowing districts to make informed decisions based on their unique needs. 💵📚 👥 Bridging the Divide: While education funding was a contentious issue earlier this year, Labs and Hogan are stepping up to bridge the gap. By prioritizing school safety, they aim to bring together diverse perspectives on education policy and work towards a common goal—ensuring the security and well-being of our students. 🤝🏛️ 📊 Public Opinion and Future Outlook: Recent debates on school resource officer legislation have highlighted divergent opinions. However, a poll by Franklin & Marshall College reveals that 69% of state voters support the idea of having an armed officer in every school. Labs and Hogan are committed to addressing these concerns and shaping a safer future for our schools. 📈🔒 💬 In Their Own Words: "School safety is a top issue for thousands of parents across our commonwealth," Labs and Hogan emphasized in their co-sponsorship memorandum. "One of the best ways a district can provide this sense of security is by employing and utilizing School Resource Officers (SROs) in schools." 🏫👮♂️ Let's support this initiative and work towards creating a safer learning environment for our students! 🌐💪 #EducationReform #SchoolSafety #CommunityFirst #HB1898 #SafeSchoolsFund 🚸✨

Each year, thousands of students in Baltimore City Schools are expected to learn in buildings with leaking roofs, lead in the drinking fountains, asbestos hazard signs in the halls, unsanitary bathrooms and rodent infestations. A recent Johns Hopkins study found that over the course of four years, Baltimore City School students lost 1.5 million hours of class time due to building failures. There isn’t enough funding for buses, basic supplies, library books, elective courses, and support staff—like janitors, counselors or school nurses. Disproportionately, the students affected by this neglect are students of color: 76% of City School students are Black and 14% percent are Latinx. The right to a "thorough and efficient" education, enshrined in the Maryland constitution, should protect Baltimore City schoolchildren from this unacceptable reality. And the onus is on the State of Maryland to ensure that this right is not merely a hollow promise. https://lnkd.in/gBAdQeJG

For good or ill, universal vouchers and other aspects of the school choice debate have altered the conversation around public education. But what can be done to present a viable alternative? In the latest entry in our series on public education, Civic Way founder Bob Melville examines the flaws inherent to the current school choice movement (and some valid points) and presents a path forward to make traditional public schools a viable and attractive option for education: https://lnkd.in/e6NAeFZ5

Education policy debates will be more prevalent at the state and local level this year. There should be some level of accountability for private schools receiving taxpayer funds. Pushing for more accountability and transparency in public schools is contrary to advocating for using taxpayer money to fund schools with zero accountability. "Educators should expect debates over school choice, teacher pay measures, artificial intelligence, and standardized testing in state legislatures and on Capitol Hill in 2024." #k12 #k12education #k12schools #education #educationpolicy #schoolchoice https://lnkd.in/evCK5EZv

Governor Greg Abbott is currently boasting that he now has the votes needed to pass school vouchers in the Texas House. This scheme threatens to privatize our neighborhood schools, diverting critical funds away from public education and into the pockets of Christian nationalist West Texas billionaires. Abbott claims that his voucher scam will not financially hurt Texas public schools. However, representatives from Abbotts’ own Texas Education Agency are privately admitting that the Governor is wrong. A thorough analysis by Public Funds Public Schools reveals alarming trends: while voucher spending skyrockets, per-pupil funding for public schools in states with extensive voucher programs has declined or remained stagnant. These cuts come at the expense of our children's education, as public schools struggle to meet the needs of their students. We need leaders who will stand firm against this attack on our public schools. That’s why I’m running for Texas House District 56 – to protect public education and ensure that every child has access to quality schooling. As your representative, I will vote against school vouchers and work tirelessly to keep our schools in the hands of our communities. I am firmly against vouchers because I understand that public dollars should stay in public schools, which educate 95% of Texas children. We must prioritize investing in our public education system to ensure every child has access to quality education. By electing pro-education candidates, we can safeguard the future of our schools, support our hardworking teachers, and ensure that every Texas student receives the education they deserve. Please vote for Erin Shank for Texas House on Nov 5th and join our movement at erinshankfortexas.com. #publiceducation #supportpublicschools #voucherscam #noschoolvouchers #protectpublicschools #erinfortexashouse #erinshank #hd56 #mclennancounty #waco #wacotx