by Cesar Aguirre
State lawmakers passed a bill Thursday that makes all of Arizona’s 1.1 million students eligible for vouchers, which divert tax dollars out of public schools and into private and parochial schools.
Vouchers were originally passed in 2011 to provide parents who have children with special needs an alternative to public schools. Since then the voucher program has expanded to include children of people in the military on active duty, foster children, all children attending failing schools and children living on Indian Reservations.
Supporters of the law argue that vouchers provide more opportunities for low-income students to receive a better education by attending private and parochial schools. But evidence proves the opposite. According to the Daily Star, “There is some evidence that many of the 3,800 students who now get vouchers have moved from public schools in affluent neighborhoods.” In other words, instead of giving more opportunities to poor families, these vouchers are actually subsidizing the private education of children of affluent families.
The current voucher is for about $5,600 a year, which will be reduced to $4,400 with the new formula. Tuition at many private schools can be over $15,000 a year. Where would poor families find the extra $10,000 a year to cover tuition? And that’s not even including the supplies, books and materials needed.
Our tax dollars should not go to private companies with little transparency and zero accountability. The new measure was amended to make private schools who receive at least 50 students who are using vouchers to administer the same tests required by public schools and make the results public. However, they will not be penalized by the with-holding of tax dollars like public schools are.
Don’t be fooled, this has nothing to do with “school choice”, equity or opportunity. FOLLOW THE MONEY. The only way to improve the quality of education and ensure all students have equal opportunities is to FULLY FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION.
In Arizona public school funding has been massively cut since the recession to a tune of $1.2 billion plus. Yes, that’s BILLION with a B!
Enough of the shenanigans! Arizona lawmakers need to stop taking from our poor kids and communities in the name of “school choice” and “equal opportunity”. Stop diverting tax dollars to private companies and affluent families who’s children already have many of the opportunities our barrio youth are in dire need of.
por Cesar Aguirre
Pasaron una ley en Arizona el jueves que hace a todos los estudiantes de Arizona elegibles para ‘vouchers’. Estos ‘vouchers’ desvían el dinero de los impuestos publico a compañías privadas.
Cuando pasaron la ley en 2011 fue solamente para familias con estudiantes con necesidades especiales. Ahora todos los estudiantes de las escuelas publicas califican para un voucher.
Los que apoyan la ley dicen que es una manera de darle mas oportunidades a los estudiantes de familias pobres, pero en el periódico, Daily Star dicen que hay evidencia que muchos de los 3,800 estudiantes que ya reciben los vouchers se cambiaron de escuelas en barrios de clase media a escuelas privadas. Quire decir que los estudiantes de familias mas prosperas son los que mas se aprovechan de los vouchers.
Muchas escuelas privadas cobran mas que $15,000 al año por la matricula. Eso no incluye los libros y materiales que también se necesitan. Las familias pobres no tienen los otros $10,000 que se necesita para mandar a sus niños a una escuela privada.
La verdad es que esta ley no se trata de darle mas oportunidades a los niños de familias pobres. Es para darle dinero a los que ya tienen oportunidades para que pagan menos para mandar sus niños a escuelas privadas.
La única manera de mejorar la calidad de educación y darle mas oportunidades a todos niños es FINANCIAR COMPLETAMENTE LA EDUCACIÓN PUBLICA.
En Arizona el estado a cortado mas que $1.2 billones desde la recesión. Si, dije BILLONES con una B!
Ya basta! Legisladores en Arizona tienen que parar de quitarles a los los niños y a los barrios pobres en nombre de la igualdad y la oportunidad. Que paren de desviar dinero publico a compañías privadas y a familias que ya tienen los recursos que les hace tanta falta a los niños y a los barrios pobres.