In a follow-up to Monday's Trinity Luthern v Missouri decision, SCOTUS on Tuesday remanded for further review the Colorado Supreme Court's decision finding against school voucher programs for religious schools.
Quote:The High Court typically vacates and remands only when the Justices think there is a “reasonable probability” that the lower court got it wrong. Colorado’s do-over is a warning to other states that might use Blaine Amendments to derail school choice programs that threaten teachers unions and the public school monopoly.
This is a victory for all those who support voucher programs.
Link to WSJ (pay site)
(06-28-2017 08:09 AM)LeFlâneur Wrote: [ -> ]In a follow-up to Monday's Trinity Luthern v Missouri decision, SCOTUS on Tuesday remanded for further review the Colorado Supreme Court's decision finding against school voucher programs for religious schools.
Quote:The High Court typically vacates and remands only when the Justices think there is a “reasonable probability” that the lower court got it wrong. Colorado’s do-over is a warning to other states that might use Blaine Amendments to derail school choice programs that threaten teachers unions and the public school monopoly.
This is a victory for all those who support voucher programs.
Link to WSJ (pay site)
I used to support the voucher strategy to improving schools until I thought it through.
Once any school accepts federal money they will be held captive by federal education decisions.
Any school district accepting federal funds -- even though those funds comprise the SMALLEST category of government funding (1. State, 2. Local, 3. Federal) which, for many districts is less than 10% total funding -- must adhere to federal policies. And for the past several decades those policies have become increasing radically liberal.
Imagine a local church-based private school being required by federal mandate to teach some of the radical agendas being pushed in public schools across the country.
Personally, I believe the way to improve public schools is for districts to stop accepting federal funds so they can cease adhering to these radical programs if the parents & voters so desire.
(06-28-2017 09:53 AM)umbluegray Wrote: [ -> ] (06-28-2017 08:09 AM)LeFlâneur Wrote: [ -> ]In a follow-up to Monday's Trinity Luthern v Missouri decision, SCOTUS on Tuesday remanded for further review the Colorado Supreme Court's decision finding against school voucher programs for religious schools.
Quote:The High Court typically vacates and remands only when the Justices think there is a “reasonable probability” that the lower court got it wrong. Colorado’s do-over is a warning to other states that might use Blaine Amendments to derail school choice programs that threaten teachers unions and the public school monopoly.
This is a victory for all those who support voucher programs.
Link to WSJ (pay site)
I used to support the voucher strategy to improving schools until I thought it through.
Once any school accepts federal money they will be held captive by federal education decisions.
Any school district accepting federal funds -- even though those funds comprise the SMALLEST category of government funding (1. State, 2. Local, 3. Federal) which, for many districts is less than 10% total funding -- must adhere to federal policies. And for the past several decades those policies have become increasing radically liberal.
Imagine a local church-based private school being required by federal mandate to teach some of the radical agendas being pushed in public schools across the country.
Personally, I believe the way to improve public schools is for districts to stop accepting federal funds so they can cease adhering to these radical programs if the parents & voters so desire.
I agree, but more money to a school district is like crack to an addict..........oh so hard to kick the habit......
(06-28-2017 10:03 AM)Crebman Wrote: [ -> ] (06-28-2017 09:53 AM)umbluegray Wrote: [ -> ] (06-28-2017 08:09 AM)LeFlâneur Wrote: [ -> ]In a follow-up to Monday's Trinity Luthern v Missouri decision, SCOTUS on Tuesday remanded for further review the Colorado Supreme Court's decision finding against school voucher programs for religious schools.
Quote:The High Court typically vacates and remands only when the Justices think there is a “reasonable probability” that the lower court got it wrong. Colorado’s do-over is a warning to other states that might use Blaine Amendments to derail school choice programs that threaten teachers unions and the public school monopoly.
This is a victory for all those who support voucher programs.
Link to WSJ (pay site)
I used to support the voucher strategy to improving schools until I thought it through.
Once any school accepts federal money they will be held captive by federal education decisions.
Any school district accepting federal funds -- even though those funds comprise the SMALLEST category of government funding (1. State, 2. Local, 3. Federal) which, for many districts is less than 10% total funding -- must adhere to federal policies. And for the past several decades those policies have become increasing radically liberal.
Imagine a local church-based private school being required by federal mandate to teach some of the radical agendas being pushed in public schools across the country.
Personally, I believe the way to improve public schools is for districts to stop accepting federal funds so they can cease adhering to these radical programs if the parents & voters so desire.
I agree, but more money to a school district is like crack to an addict..........oh so hard to kick the habit......
That's so true. Once they get the money they can't imagine how they'd get along without it.
Interestingly, most of the federal funds are earmarked for specific program such as English as a 2nd Language.
(06-28-2017 09:53 AM)umbluegray Wrote: [ -> ]I used to support the voucher strategy to improving schools until I thought it through.
Once any school accepts federal money they will be held captive by federal education decisions.
The beauty of a voucher program is that the money does not go to the school but rather to the parents. There is no direct link between government and school. Thus, no interference.
Bingo. Which is a big reason why liberals loathe it.
Let me ask this question on a subject I'm not too keen on: When can a person register for school vouchers and is it already a passed bill? I would love to have my grandkids take advantage of something like this so that they can go to a Christian school if possible.
I am a voucher advocate but we have to be careful with their application.
We do ourselves no good to simply shift money away from publicly accountable school boards and into the hands of equally inept and corrupt private organizations with no such accountability--even if that accountability is tenuous.
(06-28-2017 11:42 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote: [ -> ]I am a voucher advocate but we have to be careful with their application.
We do ourselves no good to simply shift money away from publicly accountable school boards and into the hands of equally inept and corrupt private organizations with no such accountability--even if that accountability is tenuous.
That is certainly a valid concern and if vouchers were widely available, there would likely be some inept and corrupt private organizations who would attempt to benefit from the availability of vouchers.
But vouchers are inherently a free market solution wherein the parents would be expected to choose a school where their children would receive the best education opportunity. In that respect, any shady schools should be recognized and close.
I have personally contributed to a private program (
Link )that provides vouchers to inner city children that may be used in any private school. The results have been overwhelmingly positive.
It is one of the strongest reasons that I support an expansion of the programs.
(06-28-2017 10:42 AM)LeFlâneur Wrote: [ -> ] (06-28-2017 09:53 AM)umbluegray Wrote: [ -> ]I used to support the voucher strategy to improving schools until I thought it through.
Once any school accepts federal money they will be held captive by federal education decisions.
The beauty of a voucher program is that the money does not go to the school but rather to the parents. There is no direct link between government and school. Thus, no interference.
I understand, but the "source" of the money is the state.
Sec 8 vouchers are now used for housing assistance. There are requirements which housing providers must follow if they accept the vouchers.
Even if the vouchers had a "no strings attached" policy upon implementation, depending upon who is in office the decision could be made at any point that recipients must adhere to federal policies.
Even though our Constitution expressly prohibits a federal education system the Department of Education exists and has tied school funding to mandatory programs.
Unrelated to federal funding but related to school budgets, I'm just tossing this out there for general knowledge.
The largest line item for most district budgets (every district budget that I've reviewed) is Salaries & Wages. Add to that the Benefits line item and you have just identified between 75% to 80% of every school budget in the U.S.
75% of the budget goes directly to salaries, wages & benefits for district employees.
After that, other large budget line items are Blgs, Grounds Maintenance, Bus fleet & maintenance (or bus contracts if outsourced).
We haven't yet hit the text book, classroom furnishings, supplies, computers, etc line items.
(06-28-2017 11:57 AM)LeFlâneur Wrote: [ -> ]I have personally contributed to a private program ( Link )that provides vouchers to inner city children that may be used in any private school. The results have been overwhelmingly positive.
It is one of the strongest reasons that I support an expansion of the programs.
Nice! I'll have to check in to that.