WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans are pushing to underwrite private school tuition as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic against opposition from teachers’ unions, civil rights groups, and other who warn of diverting money from public schools
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Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the powerful chairman of the Senate panel that oversees education policy, is leading the effort to direct some federal relief toward private schools in the next pandemic package.
Alexander co-sponsored the “School Choice Now Act” this summer with South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott. Alexander wants the school choice proposal wrapped into the next coronavirus relief bill, according to an aide. Talks on that pandemic bill remain stalled but could resume once Congress returns from recess this month, and Senate Republicans are expected to vote on a slimmed-down alternative as soon as next week.Subscribe
The Alexander measure would repurpose 10 percent of the emergency relief funding already sent to states for “one time” aid that families could use for private school tuition or home-schooling expenses. Alexander would also create a permanent scholarship program with tax credits, a proposal long sought by school-choice advocates that’s failed to gain much traction in Congress.
“Many schools are choosing not to reopen and many schools are failing to provide high-quality distance learning. The students who will suffer from this experience the most are the children from lower income families,” Alexander said in a written statement. “This bill will give families more options for their children’s education at a time that school is more important than ever.”
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos supported the proposal, saying in a tweet that it “must be part of any relief package.”
School choice advocates have pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic’s upheaval of education as a reason to support options outside the public school system. The Center for Education Reform recommends lawmakers include funding for private schools in any relief project and let money “follow the child,” so parents could use it for private schools, tutors, or learning pods.
President Trump repeatedly has strongly advocated reopening schools for in-person learning and endorsed Alexander’s legislation. DeVos repeated that endorsement in a “letter to parents” on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, public school officials say they need all the money they can get, as state budgets face shortfalls and schools have even greater need for counselors, intervention teachers, technology, and cleaning supplies.
A ‘private school agenda’?
DeVos already tried to send coronavirus aid to private schools — a move that sparked outrage and legal challenges from Democrats and public school advocates.
The first congressional coronavirus relief package included $13.2 billion for K-12 education, much of which Congress said should go to areas with greater at-risk student populations. But the Education Department issued rules that allowed private schools to benefit from a larger share of the funds than they usually would receive under federal education law, amounting to millions of dollars in some districts.
That prompted a lawsuit from the NAACP, contending the rule “is as immoral as it is illegal.” Several state attorneys general also have sued, including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maine, and Wisconsin, and a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction.
Scott Sargrad, who works on education policy for the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress, said the effort is part of the Trump administration’s broader push for programs like school vouchers and education savings accounts for private schools.
“This is another example of DeVos’ private-school agenda and takes advantage of the COVID crisis to funnel money into private schools,” said Sargrad.
Alexander’s school choice bill sets up “emergency appropriations” to give scholarship grants, but it would be unlikely to open new school opportunities for families this year. Most states would have to develop scholarship-granting organizations. But the language could open pathways for school choice programs in states for the future.
The bill has seven Senate co-sponsors, all Republicans, including Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and Marco Rubio of Florida. Similar legislation in the House has 110 Republican co-sponsors.
Whether Congress will pass any large education package is uncertain, given the deeply divergent opinions on what direction it should take. Education policy groups have asked for sweeping proposals, but say lawmakers may end up settling on a narrow approach with few policy changes and smaller bailout funds.
The Senate Republicans’ HEALS Act from earlier this year includes part of the school choice proposal and ties aid to schools reopening. Senate Democrats have a completely different proposal with $175 billion for K-12 education, virtually or in person. House Democrats included $90 billion for education in the HEROES Act they approved in May.
The NAACP, National PTA, American Federation of Teachers, and other groups signed onto a letter asking lawmakers to reject the HEALS Act and other legislation that would send money to private schools.
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