Warning signs for GOP as red-state voters reject MAGA school agenda: WSJ
3 weeks, 3 days ago

Warning signs for GOP as red-state voters reject MAGA school agenda: WSJ

Raw Story  

Donald Trump has fully embraced the school voucher agenda in his platform, of defunding public schools to divert public money to private institutions with less oversight — but in many red states, his voters aren't on board, the Wall Street Journal reported. School voucher schemes, said Indiana University education policy professor Christopher Lubienski, “are popular with politicians. Timmy Truett, a pro-Trump Kentucky state legislator who also serves as a principal in a school in rural Jackson County, made this point clear: “This could mean less funding for our public schools. After Abbott Trump has tapped World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon to head up the Department of Education, despite a lawsuit alleging she failed to protect children within the organization from sexual abuse.

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History of this topic

Republicans’ big idea for remaking public education hits voter resistance
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Republicans’ big idea for remaking public education hits voter resistance

Politico  

“It came in over budget because so many families decided to avail themselves of this,” Tim Moore, North Carolina’s House speaker and a representative-elect, said of the state’s growing initiative. | Andrew Harnik/Getty Images The American Federation for Children, a school choice organization founded by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that spends heavily in state legislative races, said it spent …

US universities brace for education policies overhaul under Trump
4 weeks, 1 day ago

US universities brace for education policies overhaul under Trump

Al Jazeera  

School initiatives focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion are likely to be first on the chopping block. Overhauling liberal education Among the proposals Trump or his backers have floated are the shuttering of all diversity and equity offices across the federal government and the removal of chief diversity officers, the targeting of other offices that have traditionally served underrepresented groups, …

Despite Trump’s win, school vouchers were again rejected by majorities of voters
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Despite Trump’s win, school vouchers were again rejected by majorities of voters

Raw Story  

In 2018, Arizona voters overwhelmingly rejected school vouchers. Coming into this week’s election, Donald Trump and Republicans had hoped to reverse that sort of popular opposition to “school choice” with new voucher ballot measures in several states. And in Colorado, voters defeated an effort to add a “right to school choice” to the state constitution, language that might have allowed …

A push for school choice fell short in Trump’s first term. He may now have a more willing Congress
1 month, 2 weeks ago

A push for school choice fell short in Trump’s first term. He may now have a more willing Congress

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The election of Donald Trump returns an ally of school choice to the White House, this time with a Republican-controlled Senate — and potentially House — that could be more supportive of proposals that fizzled during his first term. Although proposals to expand private schooling suffered high-profile defeats in several states, Trump’s victory has brought new optimism to …

Commentary: Education gets short shrift from Trump and Harris on the presidential campaign trail
2 months ago

Commentary: Education gets short shrift from Trump and Harris on the presidential campaign trail

LA Times  

Once again, education hasn’t made the grade as a serious and important campaign issue. He wants to open parent choice, to the point of allowing widespread vouchers that include religious schools, even though it’s not the parents who pay for public education. Harris has had even less to say, mainly limiting herself to brief mentions of continuing some kind of …

'He's not kidding': Advocates sound alarm as Trump threatens to defund schools
2 months ago

'He's not kidding': Advocates sound alarm as Trump threatens to defund schools

Raw Story  

Education advocates implored voters to take Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's latest comments on public schools seriously. "We're gonna take the Department of Education, we're gonna close it," said the former president, explaining that each state would govern educational policy without federal input—a promise of the right-wing policy agenda, Project 2025, that was co-authored by hundreds of former Trump administration …

Millions of campaign dollars aimed at tilting school voucher battle are flowing into state races
4 months, 1 week ago

Millions of campaign dollars aimed at tilting school voucher battle are flowing into state races

Associated Press  

Follow live: Updates from AP’s coverage of the presidential election. Most recently, national pro-voucher advocates declared victory after spending more than $4.5 million in Tennessee’s primary election to defend and elect legislative candidates they claim will support school choice proposals in 2025 when state lawmakers are slated to return to the Capitol to enact policy. Lee has so far brushed …

After decades of lobbying by Christian conservatives, school vouchers may have the votes
6 months ago

After decades of lobbying by Christian conservatives, school vouchers may have the votes

Raw Story  

"After decades of lobbying by Christian conservative donors, school voucher legislation may finally have the votes" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. “When your whole national messaging strategy is based on this unstoppable flood of parents rising …

Democrats trying to flip Texas House seats by targeting GOP education issues
6 months, 1 week ago

Democrats trying to flip Texas House seats by targeting GOP education issues

Raw Story  

"Democrats think they can flip Texas House seats by going after GOP’s education funding and school voucher policies" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. “To put it another way, we need to elect about three more Democrats …

Texas House runoffs a wave of GOP incumbent defeats, Abbott has votes for school vouchers
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Texas House runoffs a wave of GOP incumbent defeats, Abbott has votes for school vouchers

Raw Story  

"Texas House runoffs bring wave of GOP incumbent defeats, give Abbott votes for school vouchers" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. A wave of Republican incumbents were swept out of the Texas House in Tuesday's primary runoffs, …

'Republican civil war': Details surface of GOP lawmaker's massive retaliation campaign
7 months ago

'Republican civil war': Details surface of GOP lawmaker's massive retaliation campaign

Raw Story  

The Texas Republican Party is in the middle of a purge of its own membership, at the direction of Gov. The Texas Republican governor, after a group of state legislators defied him over private school voucher funding, is mounting a campaign of retaliation that sets a new political precedent, Politico reported Wednesday. " Politico reports this turmoil is taking place …

Kentucky governor ready to campaign against school choice measure if it reaches fall ballot
9 months, 1 week ago

Kentucky governor ready to campaign against school choice measure if it reaches fall ballot

Associated Press  

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear vowed Thursday to relentlessly oppose a proposed school choice constitutional amendment moving closer to reaching the general election ballot in the state. Court decisions in Kentucky have ruled that public tax dollars must be spent on the state’s “common” schools — a reference to public schools — and cannot be diverted to …

School voucher ideas expose deep GOP divisions in Tennessee Legislature
9 months, 3 weeks ago

School voucher ideas expose deep GOP divisions in Tennessee Legislature

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With a supermajority grip over the Tennessee Statehouse, there are very few things Republicans can’t push through even with the harshest of criticism and public opposition. Yet, after weeks of working behind closed doors on a sweeping school voucher plan that would give coveted public dollars to many more families to spend on private schools, deep divisions …

Some Georgia Republicans who sank an education voucher bill in 2023 aren’t changing their minds
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Some Georgia Republicans who sank an education voucher bill in 2023 aren’t changing their minds

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — On the last day of Georgia’s 2023 legislative session, 16 mostly rural House Republicans defied pressure from Gov. “I’m just not ready to give up on public education as we know it right now,” said Rep. J. Collins of Villa Rica, who added that “taking away money from public education is not the answer.” The Georgia push is …

Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor, a rising political star, crosses partisan school choice divide
1 year, 2 months ago

Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor, a rising political star, crosses partisan school choice divide

Associated Press  

HARRISBURG, Pa. — In the partisan politics of education funding, the school choice movement has pressed states for decades to send taxpayer money to private and religious schools and long had to concentrate its efforts on states where a Republican governor was an ally. Shapiro would later back down in the face of House Democratic opposition, but his support has …

School choice advocacy groups hammer away at Kentucky’s Democratic governor in campaign ads
1 year, 4 months ago

School choice advocacy groups hammer away at Kentucky’s Democratic governor in campaign ads

Associated Press  

FRANKFORT, Ky. — While Republican Daniel Cameron has downplayed his support for charter schools and vouchers in presenting his education plans, school choice advocacy groups have pumped millions of dollars into ads attacking his opponent, Democratic Gov. With school choice simmering as an ongoing issue in Kentucky’s legislature, Democrats say the ads by the outside groups are an acknowledgement they …

GOP split dooms scaled-back Kansas ‘school choice’ plan
1 year, 7 months ago

GOP split dooms scaled-back Kansas ‘school choice’ plan

Associated Press  

TOPEKA, Kan. — Republican lawmakers in Kansas who say parents need alternatives to public schools couldn’t pass even a scaled-back version of the “school choice” plans enacted in other states with GOP-controlled Legislatures. Laura Kelly strongly opposed using state tax dollars to help parents pay for private or home schooling, and GOP conservatives had trouble winning over rural Republicans who …

Florida becomes 4th red state to expand school-choice options this year
1 year, 9 months ago

Florida becomes 4th red state to expand school-choice options this year

CNN  

Washington CNN — Riding the so-called “parental rights” movement, more Republican-led states are changing the way they fund K-12 education, making it easier for families to use taxpayer dollars to send their children to private schools. All families in Iowa, Utah, Arkansas and Florida – regardless of their income – will soon be eligible for thousands of state dollars each …

No money for schools with vaccine mandate: Donald Trump’s vision for America
1 year, 9 months ago

No money for schools with vaccine mandate: Donald Trump’s vision for America

Live Mint  

Former President Donald Trump, during his first visit to Iowa since announcing his bid for the 2024 presidential race, addressed a range of issues including education. In his speech, he outlined his vision for American schools, which includes universal school choice, changes in curriculum, elected school principals, and breaking up the U.S. Department of Education. In alignment with his executive …

House speaker says school voucher bill won’t get hearing
2 years, 10 months ago

House speaker says school voucher bill won’t get hearing

Associated Press  

OKLAHOMA CITY — A proposal endorsed by Oklahoma’s governor and Senate leader to allow public school funding to follow students to private schools or home schools won’t be heard in the House, Speaker Charles McCall said Thursday. “I don’t plan to hear that bill this year, and I’ve communicated that,” McCall, R-Atoka, told reporters at a legislative forum hosted by …

Republicans want input from education voucher bill opponents
2 years, 10 months ago

Republicans want input from education voucher bill opponents

Associated Press  

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The leader of Republicans in the South Carolina Senate said one of his main goals this session is to pass a bill that would allow some parents to get public money to spend on private schools. Economists who estimate how much bills could cost issued a fiscal impact statement saying if every eligible student participates, the program …

Texas Republicans are ramming through legislation to remove teaching about MLK Jr. in public schools
3 years, 5 months ago

Texas Republicans are ramming through legislation to remove teaching about MLK Jr. in public schools

Salon  

The Texas Senate approved a GOP-backed education bill backed on the moral panic against the so-called critical race theory that eliminates any requirements for public schools to teach students about Martin Luther King Jr., the Ku Klux Klan, women's suffrage, and a number of topics related to the Civil Rights movement. Presently, Texas law requires that public school teachers adequately …

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