Washington should opt into Trump administration’s school choice policy | Opinion
As German Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck once said, “Politics is the art of the possible.”
This well known statement of political reality is being put into practice by President Donald Trump to move forward his efforts to provide school choice options in America’s schools. School policy in America is predominately subject to state and local government control.
To date 34 states have adopted some form of private school choice program.
The programs vary in kind and include school vouchers, tax credit scholarships and education savings accounts. Some are available to all students regardless of the economic status of parents; others are available only to certain groups, such as students with disabilities or low incom, according to the State Policy Network. Overall, the number of school choice programs is expanding rapidly.
The 34 states that currently have some form of school choice option represents a threefold increase since 2021, according to State Policy Network. Trump’s program, as approved by Congress, gives states until Jan.1 2027 to make a decision to opt into the program.
So far, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson has not indicated if Washington State will participate in the program. The bill, passed by a Republican controlled Congress, provides a federal tax credit up to $1,700 for donations given to scholarship granting organizations.
These SGOs can then distribute the money as scholarships to students attending public, private, home schooling or religious schools. Families participating in the program receive the money tax-free and can use it for a wide variety of educational expenses beyond simply tuition for private schools. The money can cover things like services for special needs students; books, supplies, computers transportation and other unspecified but legitimate needs.
A real strength of the program is that it can serve the needs of all Washington’s students, not just those attending private schools. Nicholas Ford, superintendent of Washington States Catholic schools, rightly reminds Ferguson that Catholic Schools serve 21,000 students, saving Washingtonians over $363 million per year.
“The federal school choice program can help ensure these schools remain sustainable, so the cost of educating their students doesn’t fall on the state,” Ford and other authors wrote in a letter published by the Seattle Times in September.
Unfortunately, the Washington Education Association predictably has ruled out supporting the adoption of the program for Washington State.
This is a real missed opportunity.
As Ford has rightly pointed out: “educating our youth is a joint responsibility for all.”
Washington State Democrats and the WEA are consistent advocates for diversity. The adoption of Trump’s school choice initiative in Washington state does just that; it provides for diverse education options for Washington’s parents and students.
Most importantly it empowers parents to make the best choice possible for educating their children. After all, when all is said and done, parents have the primary responsibility for educating their children.
Ferguson needs to make the right decision for our parents and students by opting Washington State into the national school choice program.
Mike Jankanish of Tacoma is a retired teacher of 46 years, former chair of the history department at Wilson High School and an occasional op-ed contributor on education issues for The News Tribune.