(The Sentinel) – It was standing – and sitting on the floor – room only, as about 200 students and educators from Wichita joined supporters to urge lawmakers to adopt School Choice in an energetic rally on Capitol Hill.
The state has moved towards School Choice in recent years, enacting Open Enrollment and scholarship tax credits for low-income students. The speakers and their enthusiastic audience called for Kansas to join the nearly two dozen states enacting a K-12 education funding plan where “dollars follow students.” Neighboring Iowa is the latest to join the list.
Among the speakers was Brittany Jones, director of policy with the Kansas Family Voice, who noted that School Choice is pro-family:
“True school choice would unlock the ability of every family to make the best education decisions for their family, regardless of bank account or postcode. Kansas families will soon be able to use an open enrollment policy passed by their lawmakers last year. Hundreds of Kansas children are already receiving scholarships provided by the low-income student tax credit. While this helps some students, it doesn’t provide children with all the resources they need. That’s why we need to pass the Sunflower Education Equity Act.”
He says Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signing a school choice bill in Hawkeye state could be a stepping stone for similar legislation in Kansas:
“We applaud our northern neighbors for outgrowing their own Education Savings Account. There is so much momentum across the country. We’re feeling that momentum in Kansas as well. I have never seen so many people informed and excited about the opportunities that education savings accounts could offer. I believe we can pass this law this year! Kansas families deserve it.
House Bill 2048, which expands tax credits for low-income students to attend the school of their choice, recently received a hearing in the Legislature, and education savings account legislation is expected to have a hearing soon .
