Several parents and students tell lawmakers not to take away their hope or freedom to choose the right school for them.
They testified in favor of a bill that would reinstate funding for school choice scholarships.
Voters repealed a similar school choice bill just three months ago on the November ballot by 57%.
“I’m asking you today not to give up on us and to support us in our education,” said Rylee Rivera.
The 12-year-old Kearney Catholic Middle School student said never would have dreamed she’d be testifying before a legislative committee.
She had a reading deficiency and anxiety with large crowds.
Attending a private school has helped her grow.
“My family is able to support my education because of the school choice and the Opportunity Scholarship that I have received,” Rivera said.
But with voters repealing the bill that provided state funds for the scholarships in November, she and thousands of other students are in jeopardy of losing that help.
“Please don’t take that away from me,” Rivera said.
She and several other students and parents support LB 509.
It would give dollar-for-dollar tax credits to private school scholarship donors.
Low-income, foster care, military families and students denied option enrollment to public schools are given priority for the scholarships.
“What LB 509 means is that being able to find a school where each child will thrive is not a luxury reserve for only the few who can afford it,” said Katie Zach, of Lincoln.
Opponents had a message for lawmakers as well — that public dollars should not go to private schools.
“The reality is the voters spoke last November, and they spoke overwhelmingly,” said Lincoln Public School Board Member Kathy Danek.
She and others question whether the state can afford the credits, which are capped at $25 million a year.
“There’s a half a billion-dollar budget shortfall, and we’re being told in a separate bill that they need to take tens of millions of dollars away from our state retirement system to help make the budget balanced. But yet, somehow, magically, $25 million for this isn’t going to impact our funding at all. So, the math just candidly doesn’t add up,” Nebraska State Education Association president Tim Royers said.
Royers said tax credit gives an unfair advantage over other charities.
And that the ability to offer scholarships doesn’t go away.
“So, if it was truly about supporting those kids, I would be calling up those donors and saying, ” Why are you only willing to make this donation if you get $1 for dollar tax credit,'” Royers said.
However, the sponsor of the bill, state Sen. Tony Sorentino, pushed back on the tax credit argument.
“If opponents of school choice don’t like tax credits, they’ve got 21 tax credits; they better come in and oppose and repeal,” Sorentino said.
He also said Nebraska is one of the only states without a school choice law.
“School choice programs don’t bankrupt public schools. They save the state money, as the studies have proven, and that’s money that could be used to reinvest in our public school system and teacher salary,” Sorentino said.
“Honor the will of the people from the election,” Royers said.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.
