The state Senate recently passed a sweeping education bill. A major part of the bill would amend the Missouri Empowerment Account program to expand access to private school education for students across Missouri.
Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rhoden (R-Columbia) explained why changes to the public education system are needed.
“For a really long time, we've just maintained the status quo, just put more and more money into the system, and never really thought about whether it's working or not.” he said. He said.
Although the bill expands eligibility for private school education to all elementary and middle school students living in the state, Rhoden said his goal is not to “abolish” public education. Ta.
“I want public education to work and do its best,” Roden said. “I want these schools to be museums where people can get the best education they can get anywhere in the world. This would be incredible for public schools in Missouri, because the entire state Because whatever the number of kids in the country, 99% of them go to traditional public schools, and nothing we do here is going to change that.”
During the debate, Democrats argued that taxpayer funds should not be used to pay for private school tuition. Despite his strong opposition to tax credits for private schooling, Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo (D-Independent) called the overall bill a “good compromise.”
“This may be our last opportunity to make a generational investment in public education in eight years,” Rizzo said. “So what people on the other side of this issue who are concerned about certain parts of this issue really need to think about is that if Governor Jay Ashcroft would not make any investment in public education. Because you might not see it. If you're governor with Bill Eigel. We're trying to do that, my perspective is that actually in the next election cycle we're going to be against it and people are going to have an anti-public education program. It was about trying to pre-empt any situation where they're not just trying to promote it, but trying to destroy it, and they're disrespecting public education even more than they're already doing. It may be the last ship.”
This bill is currently being considered in the state legislature.
Click here for more information on the bill.
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