Petition Filed to Repeal Controversial “School Choice” Bill

By Gordon HopkinsA petition has been filed to repeal Nebraska's newly enacted Opportunity Scholarship Act.LB (Legislative Bill ) 753, was been approved by the Nebraska Legislature. The bill allows individuals, estates, trusts, and corporations to claim a one for one income tax credit on their state income tax liability if they contribute towards these scholarship funds. Opponents of the bill say it will take money from public schools and give it to private schools. It is the first time Nebraska has adopted a “school choice” bill.The morning of Tuesday, June 6, a coalition of Nebraska not-for-profit organizations dubbed “Support Our Schools Nebraska” (SOSNE) announced a statewide petition drive to repeal LB 753, which SOSNE described in a press release as, “a controversial and widely unpopular piece of school privatization legislation that is expected to divert as much as $100 million per year to private schools.”The group held a news conference on the north steps of the State Capitol.“Currently, Nebraska ranks near the middle of the pack among states on what it spends overall to educate each K-12 student. Diverting state revenue from public schools doesn't make sense when the goal should be to improve student outcomes for everyone,” said Dr. Rebecca Firestone, Executive Director of OpenSky Policy Institute, which provides research on tax and budget policy.”“LB 753 does not help all children. In fact, it even subsidizes discriminatory practices. Unlike public schools, whose doors are open to all, private schools can discriminate against kids. Taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars should not be used to support private schools that are not required to serve all children. Further, there is little evidence that these private school tax voucher programs improve educational outcomes, and numerous studies have even found negative effects in various subject areas,” said Jenni Benson, President of the Nebraska State Education Association.In his recent editorial, Senator Tom Brandt wrote, “The funds would be used to provide scholarships for kids to attend private schools. Nobody is opposed to allowing kids to get the best educational opportunities for them; however, I am opposed to giving state tax dollars to fund schools that do not have to follow the same rules as our public schools. The program is capped at $25 million for the first two years, but it could increase to $100 million in future years. This could have a detrimental impact on future state revenue and funding down the road for public education. For these reasons, I voted against the bill.”Local school officials have also expressed concern about the bill. Tiffanie Welte, EdD, Superintendent of Tri County Public Schools, said, “The general Nebraskan won't be the ones making these contributions. It will be the wealthy few and outside influencers contributing funds. Those tax credits take potential revenue away from all areas of our state budget that rely on state funding, so education is not the only area that will be negatively impacted by the credits.”Dr. Chris Prososki, Superintendent of Southern Schools District, wrote an editorial earlier this year, which said in part, “I stand opposed to this proposed legislation for a number of fundamental reasons. First, our state ranks almost last in the amount of state support for K-12 public education. If public money is diverted to private or parochial schools, the amount of money that is available for public schools will decrease. Second, school privatization plans like LB 753, have had devastating consequences on a number of different fronts in other states who have adopted similar type programs. Lastly, private or parochial schools do not follow the same regulations as public schools, they are not publicly accountable like public schools, and they do not accept all students like public schools.”However, the bill has a number of supporters, including Governor Jim Pillen, who signed the bill into law on May 30 of this year. The governor issued a statement in response to the petition, “"Every kid in Nebraska deserves a high-quality education and the opportunity to pursue their dreams. The NSEA's (Nebraska State Education Association) attempt to overturn the Opportunity Scholarships Act is an attack on our kids and their educational opportunities. I am confident Nebraska voters will reject any attempt to limit school choice for our families.”In a recent editorial, the governor wrote, “In Nebraska, we need to be funding students, not systems.”“Our kids are our future, and we all believe that every Nebraska kid should be given the opportunity to have their educational needs met – from the river to Harrison. LB753 creates a tax credit program to which Nebraskans can donate. Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) will administer the scholarships,” wrote Pillen. “Students should not be tied down by the zip code they are born in. Our current education system does not allow for underprivileged students to attend a private school or choose a different school district to live in. You need money and wealth to live in neighboring districts that are performing higher than others.”

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