It Takes a Strong Governor to Lead the Way
There has been a rolling tide of education reform across America, from Florida to Louisiana to Indiana to California. Alaska, however, has been protected from change by the protective barriers of the NEA and remains in the backwaters of education reform. Just recently, Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana signed into law jaw-dropping legislation allowing 300,000 children to use vouchers to escape failing schools. He did this with support from both Democrats and Republicans-school choice is a non-partisan issue. In his last two years as a lame duck governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a parent trigger law and legislation which linked student performance data to teacher performance data. This was with the backing of a Democrat legislature.Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana was able to get education reform laws passed by a bipartisan legislature to include school vouchers for lower income students.
What do these governors have in common? They have the willingness and the fortitude to do what's right in spite of the blowback from special interest unions. They are ready to put their name on the line for kids. They know it's the right thing to do. (read more...)
Hogwash Myths About School Choice
Paul Jenkins made the case for school choice in Alaska in an article in the Anchorage Daily News, and one supporter commented to us on how concisely and accurately Jenkins summarizes the school choice legislation introduced in Juneau. Read the article here. It is definitely one you will want to keep on hand when
spreading the word about school choice.
One issue that Jenkins addresses in the article is the charge many opponents of school choice level but cannot prove: that school choice will drain public schools of funding.
One professed concern is that students seeking a real education would abandon ship for good private schools, leaving the hard- or expensive-to-educate or disabled in public systems legally required to take them; that vouchers automatically would siphon much-needed money from public schools. Hogwash. Future legislatures would decide funding. Nobody else.
'Hogwash' is an excellent description. But why does this argument carry so much weight with legislators, despite the fact that there is zero evidence to demonstrates it? Because education has little to do with doing what's best for kids and more to do with the special interests who profit from the status quo. These special interests are sometimes the only people lawmakers talk with inside the political bubble.
Hispanic Teacher Says School Choice Helps Hispanic Kids
Lorena Castillo is originally from Nicaragua, a Florida public school teacher and a supporter of school choice.
Lorena Castillo is chairwoman of CHISPA, the Coalition of Hispanic Instructors in Support of Parental Awareness. CHISPA falls under the umbrella of the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options, and its 180 members – almost all of them teachers in traditional public schools – support charter schools, private school vouchers and tax credit scholarships. Castillo sees no conflict between that support and support for public schools. The bottom line for CHISPA is finding the right fit for Hispanic students who are struggling. That way, they can catch up, earn diplomas, become good citizens – and not become statistics.
We like that…especially the part about kids not becoming statistics. It will be interesting to see how long the special interests will be able to keep ethnic groups like Hispanics in the dark about school choice. Listen to a podcast interview with her here.
What's Happening and Why We Need You
For years people have talked of educational reform. Now is the time to act. An important piece of legislation for Alaska’s children is House Bill 145 establishing the parental choice scholarship program to pay the cost of attending grades kindergarten through 12 at non-government schools. The bill, HB145, was approved the other day by the House Education Committee and is now before House Finance. (Read more...)
School Choice Works For Kids
By: Dennis Fradley
Like the rest of the nation, Alaskans have been discussing and debating the merits of school choice for decades. Many parents say they would like having the option of choosing non-government schools for their kids; teachers’ unions say they hate the idea. (Read more...)
Expert Says Alaska Court has State Constitution Wrong
Dick Komer, senior attorney from the Institute for Justice, gave expert testimony to the House Finance Committee in support of amending the Alaska State Constitution. This amendment HJR16/SB6 would remove what is known as the "Blaine Amendment" wording from the State Constitution and would allow public funding for schools that are chosen by parents outside the public system. (Read more...)
