Tennessee is a red state. Betsy DeVos visited the state to make a personal pitch for vouchers. The state already has charters and a very low performing cyber-charter. Despite all that, vouchers are dead for 2018. The rural districts don’t want them. Communities don’t want them. The legislators have heard from the people who elected them. Vouchers are dead this year. Period.
A bill to start a voucher pilot in Memphis just officially was declared dead for this year. It won’t even be introduced.
A bill that would pilot a private school voucher program in Memphis is officially dead this year.
Rep. Harry Brooks, the Knoxville Republican who sponsored the bill with Sen. Brian Kelsey of Germantown, said Friday he won’t advance it in the House. Kelsey announced earlier this week that he was giving up on the bill in the Senate.
“The interest in the House is not there,” Brooks told Chalkbeat. “If the Senate is not going to proceed with it, there’s no need to move it in the House. It’s just an exercise in futility.”
Brooks’ decision ends a years-long effort to allow some Tennessee parents to use public money to pay for private school tuition — just as U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has focused national attention on voucher programs. Previous versions calling for a statewide program for students from low-income families met fierce opposition from state lawmakers from rural and urban areas, forcing sponsors to narrow the scope of the program. The latest proposal only applied to Memphis.
But unlike previous years when vouchers were stalled during the legislative session, this proposal — carried over from last year — lost steam before the 2018 session began.
Many members of the House in Tennessee said that vouchers would ruin the financial stability of their districts. The bill died because it had no support.
“Fight the battles you can win” – Sun-Tzu . I am a former resident of Jackson Tenn. I believe that some type of pilot voucher program may become reality in Tennessee, in the future. Tenn is a “Bible-belt” state, and the operators of religiously-operated schools may push for it. Also, Tenn is the state which once prosecuted John Scopes for allegedly teaching evolution in a public school.
One benefit of having 50 states, is that you have 50 state “laboratories”, where different ideas and concepts can be tested and tried, and then adopted by other states.
The rural communities in Tennessee oppose vouchers. The urban communities have seen their failure elsewhere. The constituency for vouchers is shrinking.
Charles:
May I recommend Ray Ginger’s old book on the Scopes trial, Six Days or Forever. It is a really good quick summary. The state of Tennessee did not prosecute Scopes as a response to his teaching. Several Dayton men were sitting around drinking coffee and conceived of a trial testing the new state law prohibiting the teaching of evolution. John Thomas Scopes was persuaded to get a biology book and teach that chapter to a child in a car, making it unquestionably clear that he had taught the concept to a school child. The men thought that this would place Dayton on the map, an hour train ride north of Chattanooga.
The rest of the story is a fascinating look at the beginnings of media circus politics, driven by hidden agenda and personal careers in their twilight.
Tennessee public schools are very conservative. Parents who share that conservatism do not see a need to set up a parallel system. Public school teachers who do accept evolution are generally reluctant to try to change the mind of children who are hearing the contrary ideas in their churches. This is why vouchers will not take off in this state.
Your observations are most likely valid. I lived in Jackson, Tenn and I was in a relationship with a public school teacher. I believe that you will find that parents who are of a conservative mind, are often uncomfortable with the liberal ideas and concepts promulgated in government-run publicly operated schools. Many (not all) conservatives have an innate distrust of government, and are not always thrilled to hand over their children’s minds to the government. When you are trapped, and have no alternative, you send them off to the public school, and hope for the best. This is why 90% of American children attend government-run schools, they have no alternative.
As far as a “parallel system”, it already exists in Tenn, and elsewhere. People who have the means, are able to send their children to non-public schools, and/or home-school them. There are non-public schools, all over Tenn. A close friend of mine attended Castle Heights Military Academy see http://www.castleheights.com/ .
Many of the liberal elite, in Tenn and elsewhere, send their children to exclusive non-public schools.
As school choice picks up traction in other states, and Tennesseans are able to see the results, I can predict that there will be a future push for some type of limited school choice there.
After all, it is the Volunteer State.
Charles,
May I remind you that 90% of American children attend those “government schools” that you despise. Do you think that everyone is dumb except you and DeVos and the Koch brothers? Even where vouchers are freely available, like Indiana, only 2-3% use them, some return to their public schools, and the kids fall behind their peers in the public school they left.
You should live in a world without “government” Police or fire fighters or mail or highways. Do it yourself. Let the private sector do it.
“A close friend of mine attended Castle Heights Military Academy see http://www.castleheights.com/ .”
Quote from the history of this great school:
1986 – Castle Heights closed its doors.
This was 30 years ago. As for current schools: the tuition to any of the 4 best known private schools in Memphis is over $20K. So an $8K voucher doesn’t help regular folks to attend these schools.
New Hampshire has some elite private schools. No one gets in the door with a voucher of $3,000.
I am well-aware that ~90% of American children are enrolled in publicly-operated schools. Most of them have no alternative. Parents are compelled to pay taxes, and the taxes operate the public schools, and most parents cannot afford to pay both school taxes, and non-public school costs.
I do not despise publicly-operated schools. Not at all. There are many fine public schools in the USA, which are doing an excellent job, under difficult conditions. I have never disparaged good schools.
I do not think that everyone is “dumb”. Far from it. I believe that (in most cases) parents have the understanding and insight to make appropriate educational choices for their children, until such time as the children become emancipated adults. It is people who wish to perpetuate the public-school monopoly, who do not trust parents to make intelligent choices. After all, if all public schools are fantastic, and all non-public schools are terrible, why would a competent parent remove their child from a good school, and then enroll them in a bad school?
I am delighted that the utilization rate in Indiana, (with nearly all parents having the option to withdraw from public schools), is so low. This speaks volumes. It says that the public schools in Indiana are meeting families’ needs properly. Hurrah for them.
I understand the need for government. “If all men were angels, there would be no need for government” – James Madison.
Government is necessary to secure our rights and freedoms, and enable individuals to live in freedom. We sign over a strictly limited “power of attorney” to government, to perform certain common functions. We need an Army, and a Diplomatic Service to provide for the common defense, and to represent our nation to foreign governments. We need an air traffic control system, to ensure that aircraft do not crash into each other. (Canada has privatized their ATC system, and privatization for the USA system is coming). Some communities have a municipal fire department, and some communities (San Mateo, CAL) have turned over fire protection to private operators.
We need a mail service. But, we have adopted a system of multiple methods for package delivery. We have Fed Ex, and UPS, and a multitude of other private operators.
Life without any government at all, is anarchy, and I certainly do not advocate that.
Charles,
You are the densest person I have ever met, even if only online.
@mate: My friend attended CHMA in the mid 1970s. That was just an example of a non-public school in Tenn. There are other non-public schools that are currently operating, in Tennessee. And there are military boarding schools operating in nearby states, where some Tenn. parents could enroll their children. Vouchers/ESAs need not be restricted to the state of the family’s residence. True choice plans will enable families to redeem their vouchers at any accredited school.
No one claims that a voucher of $8k will pay the costs for a school that charges $20k. Not at all. But- A voucher of $8k will meet the costs for a school that charges $8k. Some families may be able to come up with $2k, and with a voucher for $8k, be able to have their child attend a school that charges $10k.
Also, some non-public schools, may be able to offer partial scholarships, and waive a portion of the tuition costs, to get a particularly promising child. And third-parties, like service clubs (Freemasons,etc) may be able to step in and provide financial assistance. A voucher of $8k, may enable a family to afford home-schooling. Anything is possible.
Some (not all) people who wish to perpetuate the public school monopoly, often work up bogus issues, and avoid the real issues.
Charles, very few families use vouchers where they are available.
A teacher cannot compete with the principles that are embedded in the culture at home.
The anti-science people live still, and are now teaching that climate change is a hoax.
Q: Charles, very few families use vouchers where they are available. END Q
We are in agreement. The state with the highest utilization rate (Indiana) has less than 3% of eligible families participating.
This being the case, I cannot understand why the perpetuators are so dead-seat against the concept. The very small number of participants has a very small impact on the remaining number of students in the public schools.
In fact, the public schools are probably better off, without children who are feeling “trapped” in the public schools, and whose parents are so obviously dissatisfied.
This is one benefit of school choice, that no one ever talks about.
The loss of funding for 2-3% of students means layoffs, cuts to the arts. A high price to pay for sending a few kids to crappy schools where they study creationism and are taught to hate blacks, Jews, and gays.
Q The loss of funding for 2-3% of students means layoffs, cuts to the arts. A high price to pay for sending a few kids to crappy schools where they study creationism and are taught to hate blacks, Jews, and gays. END Q
Any time there is a reduction in student population, there will be a reduction in funding for the school(s) with the reduction. When a family is transferred to a different state, or an industry has layoffs (Like Rochester NY, when film photography collapsed), schools are faced with down-sizing.
I am hesitant in making blanket statements like a small reduction in student population will automatically mean cuts to the arts. Some (not all) public schools can absorb a small reduction in student population, and have to enact massive layoffs.
And you should not “tar them all with the same brush”. Not all non-public schools are “crappy”. Many non-public schools earn accreditation, and deliver a quality education to their students. If they did not, parents would withdraw their children (an option that parents dissatisfied with public schools, do not share)
And how can you state unilaterally, that children in non-public schools are taught to hate blacks/Jews/gays? I attended a non-public school in 1962-1963, and I was not taught any such thing.
My mistake. Some (not all) public school systems can absorb a small 2-3% reduction in student population, and NOT have to enact massive layoffs and cut popular programs.
“I believe that some type of pilot voucher program may become reality in Tennessee, in the future.”
The important thing is that even the highly motivated TN politicians don’t see a way to establish voucher programs. Since the rural communities oppose vouchers, politicians tried to establish a pilot program in Memphis—thinking that a possible success would convince other parts of TN. But Memphis already has had enough of educational experimentation on their children, coming in their way of the “we want good education for the neediest, and y’all are the neediest” bs and forced on them via ASD and spectacularly faulty and costly state standardized tests.
So I am afraid, Charles, all you really can do is believe in vouchers in TN, but with no basis whatsoever.
I have no particular insight into the path that Tenn politics will take in the future. Nevertheless, School Choice in the Volunteer state is not dead, only temporarily suspended. It is reasonable to assume, that some Tenn politicos may wish to attempt to get some limited school choice plan introduced in the future. Who knows?
And when school choice/voucher plans prove popular in other states, the lesson will not be lost on the people/government of Tenn. Many states adopt ideas from other states.
Voucher plans are not popular in any state. No public vote has ever supported vouchers. As you know, less than 3% use them when they are freely available.
Every evaluation has shown that are either educationally insignificant or even harmful.
What’s popular about them? The more the public understands the fraud, the more the public rejects them.
Q Voucher plans are not popular in any state. No public vote has ever supported vouchers. As you know, less than 3% use them when they are freely available.
Every evaluation has shown that are either educationally insignificant or even harmful.
What’s popular about them? The more the public understands the fraud, the more the public rejects them. END Q
School choice/voucher plans are wildly popular, for the small number of families who choose to participate in the various programs. (They are not popular with the people who choose not to participate).
Although no referendum has ever brought in a school choice program, no referendum has ever cancelled a program. Arizona has the unique opportunity to expand a pre-existing choice (ESA) program.
Families who choose to withdraw their children from public schools, and utilize a choice plan, are obviously satisfied, else they would not participate.
In a democracy, 2% is not an indication of “wildly popular.”
“One benefit of having 50 states, is that you have 50 state “laboratories”, where different ideas and concepts can be tested and tried, and then adopted by other states.”
Charles, do you realize that you are talking about laboratory experiments on children—millions of children? We have 1 million children in public schools in TN.
I predict that these kinds of experiments will be outlawed in the near future.
You are running away with the concept, and arriving at a wrong conclusion. Individual states and municipalities try different ideas, and when the ideas are successful, other states pick up on them.
Example: In 1913, the city of Dayton Ohio came up with the idea of hiring a “city manager” . This is a paid non-political professional, who is charged with supervising city government operations. The idea proved so successful ,that soon cities all over the USA picked up on it. see
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_manager
I am not talking about “laboratory experiments on children”, get serious.
School choice/voucher plans have been in place in many areas of the USA, for many years. It is not some radical new idea.
Tennesseans may choose to observe what other states/municipalities are doing with their public school systems, and then choose to adopt some of their ideas.
The concept of state/municipal governments trying new ideas and concepts and then other governments picking up on the ideas, will never be outlawed.
Right now, all eyes are on California, with their legalization of recreational Marijuana. Other states, are sure to be observing the Golden state closely. If the legalization proves beneficial, other states are certain to adopt the idea.
Marijuana sales bring in huge tax revenues.
Again, I cannot predict the future. But Maryland is seriously considering removing restrictions on recreational Marijuana. The state is always on the lookout for a new revenue source. Maryland may possibly be the first state in the East, to legalize Cannabis.
State lotteries were slow to catch on. New Hampshire had one of the first (modern) lotteries. States saw legalized gaming as a way to raise revenue, and picked up on it. An example of an experiment by one state, being picked up by other states.
Thomas Jefferson was a big proponent of lotteries. He said “It lays taxes only on the willing”. Bravo to T.J.
good GOOD. GOOD!
Great news!
It is good news.
Hopefully now that this latest ed reform political campaign is over lawmakers will turn their attention back to the public schools 90% of kids attend- you know, start doing their jobs.
Hello? Anyone home? There are tens of millions of kids in the unfashionable public sector schools. Maybe one of these public employees could carve out a few hours to do some work on their behalf?
Public school families should demand more from public employees at the statehouse.
Can lawmakers in Tennessee point to anything they have done this session to improve or support PUBLIC schools?
They take us for granted. Make sure they know they are accountable to public school families in their districts. They have to ADD VALUE. Show us what you’ve accomplished for the 90% of families who are ignored in these privatization schemes. I’d like a list.
I can guarantee there is nothing the state has done to help public education. However, former Common Core supporter Candace, McQueen, our education commissioner, has used ESSA to double down on testing, promote the use of ACT to evaluate high schools, and prepare for NGS standards to further push the teaching of science in the direction of biochemistry and away from environmental sciences and natural history.
Teachers continue to be responsible for reams of paperwork aimed at making sure they are teaching the “standards”, and good pedagogy is going unrewarding in favor of good test scores.
I hope that they stay dead. There’s too much money that’s been thrown into the pockets of Kelsey, Brooks, and Bill Dunn for vouchers to just go away. I imagine that they’ll be back next year, repurposed, renamed, and revised. With Brooks announcing that he won’t run in 2018, we’ll have to be sure to really push back on the candidates for his seat. We don’t need Brooks v.2.
Funny that standardized testing seems to be the deal-breaker with vouchers here…private schools that would accept the vouchers don’t want to be held to the same standard as public schools: https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/tn/2017/04/05/tennessee-voucher-bill-stalls-as-lawmakers-strip-tnready-testing-requirement/
“I imagine that they’ll be back next year, repurposed, renamed, and revised. ”
Of course, politicians may try in case they are paid good money, but I feel that the state is tired of all these haters of public education.
Alas vouchers are still alive in NH… https://anhpe.org/2018/01/03/the-house-has-voted-184-162-in-favor-of-moving-sb-193-to-the-finance-committee/
Readers in NH need to keep the pressure on if we hope to drive a stake through this badly conceived legislation.
(See the other topic in this blog). School choice is coasting to a “win” in the Granite State. Parents in Tenn are still stuck with the government monopoly, publicly-operated systems, for now.
Don’t chalk up a win just yet… by April—- after most budget votes for schools but before the Finance Committee hearings—-local taxpayers might have a clearer picture of how this could affect their local schools.
I agree, that school choice is not yet a reality in the Granite State. The legislation looks like it might see reality, though. The governor and the legislature seems to be in support. But “It ain’t over, until it’s over” – Yogi Berra.