Trump pushes use of federal funds for public school choice – Washington Examiner
The article discusses the Trump administration’s newly issued guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, which encourages states to utilize federal funds to enhance school choice programs. This guidance primarily focuses on using Title I funds to provide more educational options for families, especially those with children in underperforming schools. In a letter to state education chiefs, the administration emphasized the importance of parental choice in selecting suitable education options for their children.
The guidance outlines that federal funds can be directed toward various educational programs, such as dual enrollment, tutoring, and technical education. It also clarifies that local school districts can use these funds to transport students from failing schools to better-performing institutions, contingent upon state regulations.
The proclamation has come amid heated discussions about Louisiana’s new school voucher initiative, which aims to expand school choice. Even though the program has seen a financial commitment from the state legislature, concerns have been raised regarding its effectiveness, notably that a majority of applicants already attend private schools, perhaps undermining the program’s original intent to assist students from struggling public schools. There is a prevailing cautious sentiment among lawmakers about the program’s sustainability and its alignment with its founding goals.
Trump administration pushes states to use federal funds for public school choice
(The Center Square) − The U.S. Department of Education has issued new guidance aimed at expanding how states can use federal education funds to support school choice programs, as the debate over Louisiana’s new voucher system continues to heat up.
In a letter sent this week to all state education chiefs, the Trump administration encouraged states to leverage Title I funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to create more education options for families, particularly those with students enrolled in low-performing schools.
“The Trump Administration is committed to supporting parents in having the ability to select education options that best meet their children’s needs,” the letter reads.
The letter outlines how states and local school districts can direct federal money toward programs such as dual enrollment, academic tutoring, and career and technical education — allowing parents to select the services that best fit their children.
The guidance also clarifies that local school districts can use a portion of their federal Title I funds to cover the costs of transporting students from failing schools to higher-performing public schools within the same district, unless prohibited by state law.
Louisiana’s own Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley welcomed the encouragement.
“Louisiana’s historic education progress is no accident – it’s the result of strategic actions such as expanding school choice,” Brumley said. “This welcomed step by the Trump Administration will place more students in quality schools and further return critical decision-making to the states.”
The announcement comes as Louisiana lawmakers grapple with the rollout of Gov. Jeff Landry’s new school voucher initiative, the Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise program.
The Legislature recently approved $43.5 million for the program — less than half of the $93.5 million Landry requested — signaling a more cautious approach to its implementation.
Supporters of the scaled-back funding say the Legislature needs more clarity on how the program will operate, especially after data revealed that of the roughly 40,000 applicants, about 30,000 already attend private schools.
“When you look at the application data, it’s 40,000 applicants — but only about 10,000 are coming from public schools,” said Rep. Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro. “The intention was to help families get their kids out of struggling schools, not subsidize private tuition for students already there.”
Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, voiced similar concerns, arguing the program has drifted from its original mission.
“You went from taking a kid from a school that just didn’t work for that child, and moving to a school that does work for the child, to now we’re paying more,” Henry said. “And we’ve created an Amazon for the Department of Education to which students can buy services or items online. We’ve gotten away from the general point of what we’re trying to do.”
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Lawmakers ultimately adopted a “wait-and-see” approach, with Henry warning there is no guarantee the state can afford the program long-term if eligibility expands further.
In the meantime, legislators restored $30 million for high-dosage tutoring, preserved teacher stipends, and increased funding for local jails, child welfare services, and the University of New Orleans’ transition into the LSU system.
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