I am a proud graduate of Pocatello’s public schools, as is my wife and as are our two sons. I attended the same elementary school as my dad and his dad before him. For six generations, our family has looked to public education as a path to improve our quality of life and economic opportunities. We have some of the best public schools you’ll find anywhere, and a big reason I ran for the Legislature is to protect public education.
That’s why I take attacks on our public education system seriously. Idaho’s schools aren’t perfect, but maligning them with unfair and unfounded accusations doesn’t make them better. Unfortunately, the goal for many of those who are attacking public education isn’t to improve public schools: it’s to convince others to abandon them.
The latest attack is another voucher scheme. This one is in the form of a $5,000 per child tax credit. Last year, you may recall, special interest groups promoted an Educational Savings Account (ESA) / voucher proposal. It went over like a lead balloon with the public because it was bad for our schools. Like last year, the tax credit voucher should be rejected by parents, grandparents, and all taxpayers.
First, it siphons tax money from our community schools that would otherwise compensate teachers, buy uniforms, pay for bus maintenance, etc.
Second, it gives taxpayer money to private schools, religious schools, and home schools and requires no accountability for how those funds are spent. Taxpayers deserve to know how their tax money is being spent and that it is being spent wisely. We do this with our public schools. Policymakers and educators have spent decades developing a system of accountability for public schools. Teachers must be certified; students are tested to measure progress; and kids must learn basic subjects like reading, math, history, science, language arts, and government. We know what our students are being taught and the required standards for graduation.
Third, this voucher scheme establishes a second publicly funded school system that will eventually compete for public dollars with our community schools. Both systems will be underfunded and produce poor outcomes. The experience of other states which have gone down the voucher path is instructive. Special interest groups lobby legislators with false promises that the voucher program will be small and targeted, but soon after passing, those promises are broken. The program expands and becomes exponentially more expensive. At that point, our public schools will have to fight with publicly funded private schools, religious schools, and home schools for the dollars they all need. Students will come out on the losing end.
Fourth, states that have gone down the voucher path regret it. Ask Indiana, Arizona, and Florida. Indiana’s rural school districts are devastated. Arizona’s state budget is broken. Florida’s per-pupil spending has plummeted.
Idaho is a conservative state. I can’t think of anything less conservative and more reckless than handing out millions of taxpayer dollars with no accountability requirements and no way to claw the money back if it is misused.
Idaho’s public school buildings are in desperate need of repairs. All over the state, public school buildings are crumbling, need upgrading, or have to be modernized. No kid should have to deal with leaky roofs, cold classrooms, poor ventilation, or uncontained sewage. Idaho public education can’t afford to give away its desperately needed funds.
Our public schools are the greatest source of opportunity for future generations, and the best way to protect them right now is to reject these ill-conceived voucher schemes.
