It’s no longer even arguable among objective observers: The problem with America’s mediocre government-run schools isn’t a lack of money but a lack of competition. Monopolies are inherently less productive and incredibly resistant to change. Ask any businessman. That’s why Nevada State Sen. Barbara Cegavske’s “Special Needs Scholarship” bill (SB 158) may be the most important piece of legislation to be considered this session.
The proposal itself is rather small in its actual scope, but huge for its precedent-setting potential. Modeled after the McKay Scholarships, a similar program in Florida, the Cegavske Scholarships would allow parents or legal guardians to choose a licensed private school for children who suffer from a disability or other special needs, including children from broken homes.
“Children with special needs require a higher degree of individualized attention and accommodation than regular education students,” explains Cegavske. “In order to provide the educational experience most suited to their circumstances, it is preferable to allow the widest array of options to special education students in selecting a school.”
Simply put, the money currently going to the public school where the child attends would instead follow the child in the form of a “scholarship” to the pre-approved private school of his or her parents’ choice.
Will the private school do a better job than the public school? Maybe. Maybe not. That’s not the point. The point is, it would be up to the PARENT to decide which is better, not the government. And this principle lies at the heart of the program’s potential for de-monopolizing the public school system in Nevada. Once the principle of school choice is established as a precedent for special needs children, the door opens for all manner of other school choice options, eventually leading to universal school choice.
Perhaps next we can provide scholarships for kids whose parents want to send their non-English-speaking child to a private school specializing in English immersion.
Or how about using scholarships to alleviate school overcrowding? Let’s say a certain public school is 200 students over its limit. You give 200 parents scholarships if they’ll just send their kids to a private school, immediately eliminating the overcrowding problem without the humongous expense of building an entire new facility to accommodate just 200 kids.
With any luck, Sen. Cegavske’s bill will at least make it out of the Republican-controlled Senate and move over to the state Assembly - where the education bureaucracy and the teacher unions call the shots. As such, Speaker Buckley will give the Cegavske Scholarships a quick and certain death.
But make no mistake. The school choice ball has been moved downfield. The only thing blocking the emancipation of thousands upon thousands of Nevada students from a mediocre education is a change in public officials.
This is a winning campaign issue Republicans should run on in 2008 and beyond. After all, it’s for the children.
Posted on April 30th, 2007 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: Nevada
You have a choice on where to educate your child. Stop relying on the government to support your self-determination. Quit acting like a Democrat who want handouts for everything. Start acting like a Republican, like Reagan! Put your kids where you want him, teach them what you want them to know! And make sure all the teachers and administrators in the school are packing heat!
Overcrowding? You think there are so many private schools that all you have to do is provide a voucher and “poof”! a private school is up and running? Yeah, you might be right about that, and I bet they would ALL be top shelf! And have great guns, too!
How about you start a campaign to change Nevada’s Constitution to read that the State will; 1) provide a voucher for each child to attend school until age 16; 2) not operate any education facility what so ever. Also, consider how much money the government will save if we don’t have to feed 50% of the kids with a free or reduced lunch everyday! And, no more after school day care, “sports” on the taxpayers dime!!
Let’s make sure the vouchers start at age 5, too.
I agree with Chuck! Only us wealthy people need to educate our kids. Poor people (like those who earn less than $150K), and like casino workers and miners don’t need to learn to read and write. Only those who can afford *good* private schools need an education - so we can send our kids to be… Governor? uh… never mind.
I mean, what has free public education given us other than quality education for all Americans?
Vive la Bob Beers-Marie Le Penn and Chuck Mouthilini!!
(My point being that the natural extension of “school choice” is money taken out of public school, only to be put in private hands. Eventually, only the most expensive private schools - the ones that charge well above a voucher - will have the money to adequately educate children. Those who have lots of money will be able to pay for an even better education than middle class kids. Middle class kids will be left with the choice of a weak public education, or an inexpensive private education that is inadequate.)
Southy,
Not all Conservatives are blue blood, county club types who have the disposable income to send their children to private schools. HOWEVER, wanting to keep my taxes that were initially extorted to support a failing infrastructure and then redirecting them to a better educational environment is in MY CHILD’s best educational and overall interest. Definitely not a handout!
Bremskraft,
I am not really sure where to start with you. Your last statement of “My point being that the natural extension of “school choice” is money taken out of public school, only to be put in private hands.” sums up your problem. You feel that people don’t know what to do with their money and MUST rely on the government to make that decision for them. Why do you think that government is the solution? Why do you think that government knows what better to do with your child than you do? The last time I checked (Here in eastern NC) the cost of the most exclusive private schools was LESS than what the government doles out for each and every child day in and day out in public schools. I just don’t understand people’s hesitation to vouchers. Please factually explain why students in underperforming schools must be held there against their will when a better (and cheaper) solution is available.
The fact that Bremskraft thinks the public education system has provided a quality education for all Americans indicates that Bremskraft is the product of just such an education. Brainwashing for the feeble-minded is very effective in the publik skools. Bremskraft is a living example.
As the parent of a child with autism i have had to fight to get an appropriate education for my child from the age of 3. This has included providing our own in home program at the cost of $3,000 a month. We had to mortgage our house to the hilt and borrow from anyone who would lend it. Government schools do not provide your children with an “appropriate” education. If you think they do, you are sadly mistaken. They do not take into consideration your childs learning style. They are not motivated to teach because they don’t have to be. They can sit on their ass and read the paper and call it journalism. How do I know this? In an attempt to monitor my own sons education I became an employee of the school and saw this day in and day out, it made me ill. I suggest you go to your childs school and tell the principal you want to sit in on the classes……be prepared to see a teacher who will only pretend to teach the day you visit. The rest of the time they will be checking their email and taking phone calls…..it happens every day. The voucher system and some healthy competion is the only way to weed out these worthless teachers who are getting paid by your tax dollars to do NOTHING!