Poll shows growing Democrat support for school choice as debate over mask mandates continue
Director of research for American Federation for Children, Corey DeAngelis, explains the left's growing affinity for school choice amid the pandemic.
A coalition of school choice proponents signed a letter that urges Florida lawmakers to pass an unprecedented education savings account bill.
Florida House Bill 1, which the state's House Speaker described as the "largest" school choice measure, would provide access to education savings accounts and expand eligibility to all Sunshine State students.
Those who signed the letter include 11th U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., Moms For Liberty, Libs of TikTok, Karol Markowicz, Parents Defending Education President Nicole Neily, Young Americans For Liberty, and many more.
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In Tallahassee, Barnes saw both the old (pictured) and the new Florida capitol buildings. (Bob Barnes)
"In the interest of students in Florida and across the country, we urge Florida’s lawmakers to adopt these policies, to further empower parents and expand school choice, and set the roadmap for an education system to befit the Free State of Florida," the Educational Freedom Institute said.
The letter cited a survey stating that school choice can address "parental wishes."
According to the survey, 78% of Florida parents support education savings accounts that can be used for education options such as school tuition, tutoring, online education programs, save for future college expenses, and others.
U.S. Education Secretary Betsy Devos listens during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic response event about reopening schools hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 12, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
If passed, this Florida House Bill 1 will be a monumental move for school choice legislation in Florida.
The latest example of a significant passing of school choice legislation happened in Arizona under Gov. Doug Ducey, who signed the most "monumental" education savings account program in the United States.
Arizona became the first state in the nation to pass education scholarship accounts, expanding the program to all 1.1 million K-12 students in the state. Other red states followed suit pushing school choice legislation.
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Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey answers a question during a news conference in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, Pool)
"Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey showed Republicans the way last year when he signed into law the biggest school choice victory in U.S. history. Now it appears red states like Florida are competing with one another by seeking to expand parental rights in education," American Federation For Children's Corey DeAngelis, one of the signatories, told Fox News Digital.
"By signing this bill into law, Ron DeSantis will not only be America's Governor, but the Parents' Governor, too. Fully unleashing education opportunity with HB 1 will make Florida the land of education freedom, as it would be the largest state with school choice for all families."
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Private school choice, or providing all families with alternatives to the public schools they’re zoned for, can be expanded through multiple avenues at the state level, including school voucher programs, tax-credit scholarship programs, individual tuition tax credit programs and deductions, and education savings accounts. Charter schools, magnet schools and homeschooling are also forms of school choice programs.
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