What is it? School Choice
With school choice debates in states across the country, author Neal McCluskey helps us answer important questions such as, 'what is it' and 'why is it controversial?'
Republicans in Oklahoma's House of Representatives passed two school choice bills late Wednesday that House Speaker Charles McCall said have the potential to transform the way education is run in the state, and ensure that "every kid wins in the state of Oklahoma."
"It doesn't matter where the parent decides to take them to school, we're increasing our funding for parents to go to private schools, for parents to educate by alternative means, as well as public school," the Republican speaker told Fox News Digital. "It's pretty transformational for the state of Oklahoma. It is the first time that we've offered a path to help families with private school tuition and grant some relief also for parents that choose to homeschool."
The bills passed in the House would give parents a tax credit up to $5,000 per child that opts to attend private school, and a $2,500 credit for students educated by other means, like homeschool.
They also include a $500 million increase in funding for public schools throughout the state that will also fund $2,500 minimum pay raises for every teacher not designated as an administrator, $50 million to schools receiving below-average funding from annual local tax revenue, and $300 million to be distributed to public school districts on a per-pupil basis.
The measures now move to the state Senate, where Republicans believe they can pass.
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The Oklahoma State Capitol building, seen here in Oklahoma City, building was built in 1917. (Getty Images)
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The first bill that offers tax credits also includes a provision allowing parents to request an advance on the tax credit to help pay for the upcoming semester. This bill passed the House on Wednesday in a 75-25 vote.
The second bill outlines how the appropriated monies can be spent, including on teacher and support staff raises, STEM programs, instructional materials, fees for nationally standardized assessments, summer education programs, after-school programs, student support services, or tuition and fees for concurrent enrollment. It passed 78-20.
The office of Speaker McCall says that private school choice has been difficult to navigate in Oklahoma so far, and is looking at the passage of these bill as a possible blueprint for other states who are attempting to legislate similar school voucher measures.
Classroom (iStock)
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"We revere education very highly in this state,' McCall said. "We yield to our constituents' preferences and their desires… but it's always about… how can you craft something that… helps parents achieve what they want to achieve?"
"It's parental choice to us. It's not school choice," McCall added. He said in his nearly 11 legislative sessions, related bills like charter school authorizations and scholarship fund increases have succeeded, but it's the first time a tax credit for private school and alternative education has been successful.
"The one piece we've never been able to advance in the 10 years that I've been in the legislature, and this is my 11th session, is a mechanism for private schools, if a parent elects to educate through private school," McCall said.
Downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma (iStock)
The challenge, McCall said, was "to find a way to help every kid in the state and address the education challenges and opportunities in rural Oklahoma, suburban Oklahoma, in urban Oklahoma. And we could all find support with a tax credit."
"Just leaving more money with the citizens of the state that elect to go to private school," he said. "Give them an opportunity just to keep their own money… let's take away the double taxation where we normally tax their income and appropriate it to public education. Just let them keep it and use it."
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"These bills today are a win for every kid in the state, every parent in the state, every school in the state, and there is a mandated teacher pay raise as part of the funding. So every teacher in the state," McCall said.
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