April 21, 2024
Author: Dwayne Page
It's on the agenda!
At Monday night's regular monthly meeting, the County Commission is scheduled to discuss and take action on a non-binding resolution opposing Gov. Bill Lee's Freedom to Education Act voucher plan. It will be on the agenda of the meeting under new business. The meeting will be held in the Mike Foster Multipurpose Center auditorium at 6:30 p.m.
Last month, the committee did not vote on the resolution. District 7 Commissioner Beth Pafford filed a motion to add the issue to the agenda for consideration under new business, but it did not receive the necessary votes during the roll call vote.
Pafford, who is also a local educator and opposes the governor's voucher proposal, wants the commission to take a position on the issue and asked for it to be on Monday night's agenda.
Pafford said the proposed resolution is modeled after a resolution considered by the Knox County Board of Education.
“As an educator and as someone who believes in the importance of a free public education system to the health of our communities, I think this is important,” Pafford said during Thursday night's Committee of the Whole meeting. “Our budget and our voice are two things we have here as a committee. That's why I put the resolution on the table for a vote and everyone can vote as they see fit. “We're asking them to do that,” she said.
Governor Lee has made universal school vouchers a top legislative priority. But despite a Republican supermajority, this major reform will be an uphill battle because many local lawmakers are hesitant to funnel limited public funds away from local schools. confronting. The Tennessee General Assembly approved a state budget Thursday that includes $144 million to create a statewide school voucher program, but Republican leaders say they are still working to pass the program. .
Under Lee's plan, the state would create a new tier of tuition assistance programs called “educational freedom” scholarships. In the program's first year, 20,000 scholarships will be provided to Tennessee families. According to the Associated Press, half of the scholarships are available to households that meet certain income requirements, and the rest are available to anyone. Lee is proposing to give each recipient $7,075 this fall, which would cover about 62% of the average cost of attending a private school in Tennessee of $11,344, according to Private School Review. .
The House version of the bill would overhaul standardized testing for public school students, change evaluation requirements for teachers and principals, expand health insurance costs for educators and provide so-called incentives for low-performing schools. The plan is to phase out turnaround school districts.
Unlike the House and governor's versions, the Senate version would require testing for students who receive vouchers. It would also widely allow families to send their children to public schools outside their current district.
Commissioner Pafford believes it is wrong for the state to take funding from public schools for private schools.
“I believe that what our public schools do for us matters, and I am concerned that vouchers will take money away from our public schools and impact us financially and economically. Pafford said. “We (local schools) get 63.1% of our funding from the state and they (state legislators) want to use state funds for that purpose (vouchers). 17 of the school budget (local) % is paid by local money and 19.9% by federal money. This is the same Congress that is also talking about not receiving federal funds (for education in Tennessee). It's going to come from the funds that we've allocated,” Pafford said.
“Public schools accept all children,” Secretary Pafford continued. “They provide transportation. They provide specialized services to students who have academic and behavioral challenges. They have to be responsible for their budget. They have to be accountable for showing progress, otherwise they have to implement and monitor specific improvements,” Pafford said. Stated. “They can decide who they let in and who they don't. They spend the money how they want. It's priceless whether the kids can be helped,” Pafford said. Ta.
Not all county commissioners agree with Pafford on this issue.
“Funding should follow the children,” Commissioner Glynn Merriman said during Thursday night's full committee meeting. “If a parent is going to send their child to a private school, I don't see why they can't fund it with money,” Merriman said. “They (private schools and students there) also have to meet the requirements. They have to get good grades and pass the tests,” he said.
“While there are many ways to look at it, private schools do not have to meet the same requirements as public schools,” Commissioner Greg Matthews said. “If you want to send your child to a private school, you pay for it, but this voucher (system) says we (taxpayers) pay for our child. “I think you want to send your child to a great private school, but no one else is going to pay for it,” he said.
Pafford also argued that state-funded vouchers would primarily benefit wealthy families who already send their children to private schools.
“This system is not designed to help struggling students or struggling families,” Pafford said. “In any case, most of this money (vouchers) will go to people who are already sending their children to private schools, but most private schools require additional money to attend. Masu.”
Still, Commissioner Larry Greene said the voucher system would give families with less means the option of private school. “If you have the money, you can send your child to a private school right now. This gives those who can't afford to go to a private school the same opportunity,” Green said.
Commissioner Andy Pack countered that state aid may not be enough to cover costs for low-income students.
“What I fear will happen is that low-income families who want to participate in the voucher system cannot afford to attend (private schools) and their children will still be left behind. That would be a boon for those who can afford it. I'm troubled by this issue. It may work very well in some places, but I'm not sure it's that beneficial for DeKalb County. I don't know. I think it's going to hurt the kids who need it the most,” Pack said.
Regarding the argument that state funding should follow children, Pafford said that under the new Tennessee Student Performance Investment (TISA) formula, if the number of students in the public school system falls, so will spending on local education. Stated. “That new TISA formula is all about student numbers, and that affects how much money public schools receive. How many kids are there,” Secretary Pafford said. “Whether the school has 250 students or 200 students, we still have to run buses and have a certain number of teachers for the students. And the more money you have, the less money you have to finance everything,” she said.
Matthews added, “If state funding decreases, counties will end up having to put in money and cover a large portion of that funding.”
Commissioner Merriman questioned how the district would be negatively impacted financially if students remained in private schools.
“How does the school system decide how many children attend school? Is it determined by enrollment alone? Even if a child is already attending a private school, what does the school system know about it? They won't even know about it, and they won't be receiving any money for that child anyway. It won't have a negative impact on the school system,” Merriman said.
“The biggest issue is oversight,” Commissioner Matthews said. “What happens if this money goes to private schools and the child leaves the private school for some reason and goes back to public school? “They (public schools) still have to accept and then they pay the full amount,” Matthews said. It will happen,” he said.
The resolution to be considered by the County Commission Monday night states:
“On the other hand, Article 11, Section 12 of the Tennessee Constitution states that the Legislature “shall provide for the maintenance, support, and standards of eligibility for the free public school system.”and
On the other hand, this constitutional guarantee relies heavily on adequate funding to provide schools with the resources they need to meet the diverse needs of Tennessee's public school students.and
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners is responsible for funding schools in DeKalb County to ensure that all students, regardless of background, need, or ability, receive the best educational opportunity possible.and
Meanwhile, DeKalb County Schools is a cornerstone of our community, serving all eligible DeKalb County students who wish to enroll, including more than 2,800 students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. (39%) and employs over 450 people.and
On the other hand, in order to provide a free and adequate education for all, public schools must make improvements without increasing the burden on local taxpayers, cutting services to students, or reducing the capacity of the public education system. We need all available state funding to continue. Serve all students effectively.and
Vouchers, on the other hand, remain controversial, unpopular and unproven more than 50 years after their introduction.and
On the other hand, public schools are subject to open meetings/records laws and state-mandated academic standards, unlike private schools, which do not follow state accountability standards, do not disclose their budgets, or comply with open meetings/records laws. Financial standards ensure transparency.and
On the other hand, all educational institutions receiving public funds should expect the same accountability and performance reporting so that the public understands the use and effectiveness of public funds.and
Meanwhile, DeKalb County schools offer a wide range of specialized programs, including special education services, career and technical education training tailored to the needs of the local workforce, arts programs, high school career academies, and more.and
Vouchers, on the other hand, give private schools, rather than students' parents, a choice. Because private schools decide whether to accept vouchers, which students they want to admit, and what reasons to use to expel students.and
Meanwhile, the proposed legislation lacks sufficient oversight, accountability and transparency mechanisms, raising concerns about misuse of public funds.and
Meanwhile, the DeKalb County Commission believes public funds should be directed to public schools to improve student populations and the overall community.
So, the DeKalb County Commission has decided to ask the Tennessee General Assembly to consider the impact of education savings accounts on local school districts and instead look for ways to support and strengthen public schools across the state. Sho.
Resolved, duly adopted, effective upon passing, and required by the public welfare. ”
