Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Will ESAs be the downfall of public education?

In 2010, arguing against the proposed Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Program for Children with Disabilities, Democratic state Sen. Jay Paul Gumm predicted the program would "do maximum damage to public education."

Has that happened? No, it hasn't. (Indeed, that turns out to be the most laughable prediction since that time David Boren said Barack Obama is a "nonpartisan" leader who would bring Americans together.) Only a tiny fraction of Oklahoma's eligible students are utilizing the Henry Scholarship program. And new survey research tells us that 74 percent of Oklahoma voters think the program is "a good thing for Oklahoma," while only 11 percent say it’s a bad thing.

State Sen. Clark Jolley (R-Edmond) remembers the doomsday predictions surrounding the Henry Scholarship program. They didn't come to pass, just as the current doomsday predictions about ESAs will not come to pass. Sen. Jolley discussed ESAs on MiddleGround radio yesterday with Dave Bond; listen here beginning at the 1:28:00 mark.

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