April 21, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
It’s on the agenda!
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission is scheduled to discuss and act on a proposed non-binding resolution in opposition to Governor Bill Lee’s “Education Freedom Act” voucher plan. It will be on the meeting agenda under new business. The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Mike Foster Multi-purpose Center.
Last month, the commission failed to take up the resolution for a vote. Seventh district commissioner Beth Pafford made a motion to add the issue to the agenda for consideration under new business but during a roll call vote it failed to receive the votes needed.
Pafford, who is also a local educator and opposed to the Governor’s voucher proposal, wants the commission to take a stand on the issue and asked that it be included on Monday night’s agenda.
Pafford said the proposed resolution is modeled after one considered by the Knox County Board of Education.
“As an educator and someone who believes in the importance of a free public education system for the health of our communities, I think this is important,” said Commissioner Pafford during Thursday night’s committee of the whole commission meeting. “Our budget and our voice are the two things we have here as a commission so that’s why I am requesting that the resolution be put on the agenda for a vote and everybody can vote how they see fit,” she said.
Governor Lee has made universal school vouchers his top legislative priority. However, even with a GOP supermajority, the massive change has faced an uphill battle as many rural lawmakers are hesitant about funneling limited public dollars away from local schools. Tennessee lawmakers approved a state budget Thursday that includes $144 million to create a statewide school voucher program that Republican leaders say they’re still working to pass.
Under Lee’s plan, the state would create a new tier of school vouchers called “education freedom” scholarships. The first year of the program would offer 20,000 scholarships to Tennessee families. Half of those scholarships would be available to families who meet certain income requirements, while the rest would be open to anyone, according to the Associated Press. Lee proposes to give each recipient $7,075 this fall, which would cover about 62% of the average $11,344 cost of attending a private school in Tennessee, according to Private School Review.
The House version of the legislation would overhaul standardized testing for public school students, change teacher and principal evaluation requirements, cover more of the educators’ health insurance premiums, and phase out what are often known as turnaround districts for low-performing schools.
The Senate version would require testing for students who receive the vouchers, unlike the versions by the House and governor. It also would broadly allow families to send their children to public schools outside their current district.
Commissioner Pafford believes its wrong for the state to take money from public schools for private schools.
“I believe it’s important what our public schools do for us, and I have concerns about vouchers taking money away from public schools which would impact us financially and economically,” said Pafford. “We (local schools) get 63.1% of our funding from the state and they (state lawmakers) want to use state funds for that purpose (vouchers). Local money pays for 17% of the school budget (locally) and federal money pays 19.9%. This is the same legislature that has also talked about not accepting federal money (for education in Tennessee). Vouchers would come out of the state allocated funding,” said Pafford.
“Public schools accept all kids,” Commissioner Pafford continued. “They provide transportation. They provide specialized services for students that struggle academically and behaviorally. They have to be accountable for their budgets. They have to be accountable for showing progress and if they don’t there are certain improvements that have to go in place and be monitored. There is no accountability that follows the money for vouchers,” said Pafford. “They get to decide who they accept and who they don’t. They spend the money how they want to. There is no measure of if children being helped,” said Pafford.
Not every county commissioner agrees with Pafford on this issue.
“The money should follow the child,” said Commissioner Glynn Merriman during Thursday night’s commission committee of the whole meeting. “If parents put their child in a private school, I don’t see why the money can’t fund that,” said Merriman. “They (private schools and students there) have to meet requirements also. They have to make grades and pass tests,” he said.
“You can look at it different ways but they (private schools) don’t have to meet the same requirements as public schools,” said Commissioner Greg Matthews. “If you want to put your child in a private school, you pay for it, but this voucher (system) says we (taxpayers) would pay for your child. If you want to send your child to a private school that is wonderful but it’s not everybody else’s place to pay for it I don’t think,” he said.
Pafford further contended that state funded vouchers would mostly benefit more affluent families who are already sending their kids to private school.
“It’s not there to help struggling students or families that are struggling,” said Pafford. “Most of this money (vouchers) is going to go to people who already have their kids in private schools anyway and you would still need additional money to afford most private schools”.
Still, Commissioner Larry Green said the voucher system would give families with fewer resources the private school option. “If you have the money, right now you can put your child in a private school. This gives the same opportunity for somebody who doesn’t have the money to go to a private school,” said Green.
Commissioner Andy Pack countered that state voucher funding might not be enough to cover costs for lower income students.
“What I am afraid might happen is that those lower income families who may want to participate in the voucher system may still not be able to afford it (private school) and that child is still going to be left out. For the people who can afford it, they will benefit. I am torn with this issue. In some places this might work really well but I am not sure it is so beneficial to DeKalb County. I think it is going to hurt the children that need to be helped the most,” said Commissioner Pack.
As for the argument that state funds should follow the child, Pafford said that under the new Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) formula, fewer students in the public school system means fewer dollars to local education. “That new TISA formula is all about student counts and that goes into how much money a public school gets. It’s how many kids are there,” said Commissioner Pafford. “We still have to run buses and have a certain number of teachers for our students whether there are 250 kids or 200 kids at the school. With fewer students, you have less money to fund all that,” she said.
“With less state money, the county would eventually have to step up and fund the money no longer going in for the most part,” added Commissioner Matthews.
Commissioner Merriman questioned how the school district would be harmed financially if a student had always attended a private school.
“How does the school system determine how many kids are going to school? Is it based just on registration? If I already had a child in a private school, the school system would not know anything about that and wouldn’t be getting the money for that child anyway. It wouldn’t hurt the school system,” said Commissioner Merriman.
“My biggest problem with it is oversight,” said Commissioner Matthews. “If this money goes to a private school and a child should leave the private school for whatever reason and goes back to the public school, then what? “They (public schools) still have to accept them and then you are going to foot the full cost,” said Commissioner Matthews.
The proposed resolution to be considered by the county commission Monday night states as follows:
“WHEREAS, the Tennessee Constitution, Article XI, Section 12, says the legislature “shall provide for the maintenance, support, and eligibility standards of a system of free public schools;” and
WHEREAS this constitutional guarantee is heavily reliant on adequate funding to equip schools with necessary resources to serve the various needs of Tennessee’s public-school students; and
WHEREAS the DeKalb County Commission is charged with funding schools so that in DeKalb County, regardless of background, needs, or ability, all students receive the best possible educational opportunities; and
WHEREAS, DeKalb County Schools are the cornerstones of our community, serving every eligible DeKalb County student who wishes to enroll, including over 2,800 students (39% from economically disadvantaged backgrounds) and employing over 450 people; and
WHEREAS, to provide a free and appropriate education for all, public schools need all available state funding in order to continue to improve and without necessitating an increased burden on local taxpayers, reducing services for students, or weakening the capacity of the public education system to serve all students effectively; and
WHEREAS, more than five decades after introduction, vouchers remain controversial, unpopular, and unproven; and
WHEREAS, public schools are transparent due to open meetings/records laws, and state-mandated academic and financial standards, unlike private schools that do not follow state accountability standards, make budgets public, or adhere to open meetings/records laws; and
WHEREAS all educational institutions receiving public funds should have the same accountability and performance reporting expectations so that the public may understand the use and efficacy of those public funds; and
WHEREAS DeKalb County Schools offer a wide range of specialized programs including special education services, career and technical education training aligned with local workforce needs, arts programs, high school career academies, and much more; and
WHEREAS, vouchers give choices to private schools, not to students’ parents, since private schools decide whether they will accept vouchers, which students they want to admit, and what reasons they might use to dismiss students; and
WHEREAS, the proposed bill lacks sufficient oversight, accountability, and transparency mechanisms, raising concerns about misuse of public funds; and
WHEREAS the DeKalb County Commission believes public funds should be directed to public schools for the betterment of the student population and community overall.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the DeKalb County Commission urges the Tennessee General Assembly to consider the effects that Education Savings Accounts will have on local school districts and to instead seek ways to support and strengthen public schools throughout the state.
RESOLVED, DULY ADOPTED AND EFFECTIVE upon passage, the public welfare requiring it”.