The legislative sessions in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming are still a week or two from getting started, but we’re already seeing a flurry of education choice proposals.
In fact, in Washington, where legislators can pre-file legislation, House Bill 1140 has been introduced by Representatives Travis Couture and Jim Walsh. The legislation would create new “empowerED scholarships” using Education Savings Accounts.
The exciting proposal would specifically fund ESA’s for low income students, special needs families and students who are trapped in failing schools. The funds would be available via a state-issued debit card, with oversight capability. The money would have to be spent on education, including tuition, fees, textbooks, tutoring, therapies and more.
The fund would receive revenue from the legislature, as well as a B&O tax credit, where businesses could offer support on a voluntary basis. The maximum scholarship for students without disabilities would be $12,700, but those who are special needs could receive more.
Democrats control near super majorities in the Washington legislature, and the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction has made it clear he has no interest in providing families with more options, despite the state’s dramatic increase in education spending and equally dramatic poor public education outcomes. Instead, it appears more likely that lawmakers will simply throw more money at public education, even as fewer and fewer students attend public schools.
It is worth noting that, in Washington, more than 118,000 students and their families now opt out of the state’s public school system, saving taxpayers more than $1.5 billion each year, and more than $11 billion over the past ten years.
Those who can afford to send their child to private school, or home school, already do so. But those who can’t are left behind, something this bill aims to fix. Education Savings Accounts are extremely popular with the general public - more than 70% support the policy nationwide.
The likelihood of a bill like this passing this coming session may be low. But, considering more than half of states now offer some education choice plan, lawmakers could, at the very least, hold a hearing.