My Position on Education Funding
My response to James Cone and others,
My position has not changed on this issue at all. Maybe you confuse my support for public education would also suggest I do not support vouchers. That would be wrong. I never, ever supported Tuition Tax credits, and I took a lot of heat and likely lost a State School Board race because of this position.
My position has not changed on this issue at all. Maybe you confuse my support for public education would also suggest I do not support vouchers. That would be wrong. I never, ever supported Tuition Tax credits, and I took a lot of heat and likely lost a State School Board race because of this position.
My position is the same as that of LaVarr Webb of Utah Policy Daily. I want to see more (not less) funding of public education. But I also want to see parents have options like charter school's, and private schools as well.
The problem with funding public education is how we currently calculate resources. Teacher salaries and class size is a local school board issue, not the Legislature's. Am I 100% happy with this legislation, the answer is NO. However we need to take baby steps to make sure our kids are not hurt in the process.
What would be a perfect solution regarding Educating our children?
1. Eliminate the Department of Education, and send it's budget directly to the states.
2. States to provide a voucher to each child that can be used for a private or public school. If the student chooses to attend a public school, the voucher would go directly into the account of that local school and administered by the principle as they see fit, including providing merit bonus and specialty teaching (math and science) incentives.
3. The Legislature would provide funding to each district to cover costs associated to maintaining buildings, infrastructure, books, and a baseline budget.
What would be a perfect solution regarding Educating our children?
1. Eliminate the Department of Education, and send it's budget directly to the states.
2. States to provide a voucher to each child that can be used for a private or public school. If the student chooses to attend a public school, the voucher would go directly into the account of that local school and administered by the principle as they see fit, including providing merit bonus and specialty teaching (math and science) incentives.
3. The Legislature would provide funding to each district to cover costs associated to maintaining buildings, infrastructure, books, and a baseline budget.
4. Implement the A.P.P.L.E. in congress.
If both sides would just get off their high horse and see how they both could benefit, we might actually get somewhere.
Mark Towner,
The Spyglass
If both sides would just get off their high horse and see how they both could benefit, we might actually get somewhere.
Mark Towner,
The Spyglass
1 comment:
I guess I did confuse your position against tuition tax credits with support for vouchers. Having talked to you a few years ago about them,
To me, vouchers are an expansion of tuiton tax credits and just another welfare program, especially in subsidizing a personal choice. If this was truly only about funding the education for needy children, it would be ONLY for those with lower incomes, we would work to reduce regulations and improve the local public schools in low-income areas, and there wouldn't be so many politics involved (e.g. such as the rampant money spent by PCE and others on candidates--they certainly don't need my money if they can spend like that).
Agreed on 1, 3, and 4 though. I must admit, I've never seen such sneaky tactics either--and it's on both sides. I must have been naive in coming to Utah and thinking I would never see that. You know FIRSTHAND what I'm talking about with what happened to you in last year's elections and in your school board election.
Parents DO have options like charter, public, homeschooling, and private schools. Actually, EVERY parent has a choice already since the parent is the biggest determining factor ALREADY in what kind of education a child receives. Vouchers seem to me to make it easier for some to pass the buck.
With the abundant financial resources that voucher organizations have ALREADY, I think a good portion of voucher expenses could be covered through the private sector.
Also, a SEPARATE account could be established so that it does not come out of other education expenses. There's no reason NOT to do this, especially with the surplus and the "low" expense that others suggest.
A "perfect" education answer would see us change our attitudes and all work together for the improvement of ALL schools without all of the politics, special interests, and so on.
I still respect you as one of the more principle conservatives we have here in Utah. I'm worried about many others though. Vouchers doesn't make us any more conservative.
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