As a GA citizen who has spent the past few years intertwining myself in the day-to-day of public education - I can tell you why this bill failed (or at least my educated opinion :) )
1-word: MESSAGING
People legitimately think there public school will be permanently financially scarred if the bill passes. Well ...........why is this? Because that was the EXACT MESSAGE of the only effective messaging to make it to the masses!
Am I saying the average citizen is dumb? NO, they’re (including me on certain other subjects) just gloriously uninformed of actual facts.
Now, is the average elected official (ga and nationally) dumb? YES! Please note that I speak on this from a position of 1st person authority. Many are shells of human beings - who cannot tell you a thought without first reading it as a talking point.
PLEASE NOTE: I’m referring to both sides of the aisle with my comment. I can’t count the number of times that I’ve briefed significantly important people after they’ve flown around the world - only to observe them looking like a kindergartener auditing a college physics class (I.e., sure they’re making eye contact - but if I ask for a response 1-layer beneath the talking points - I’m liable to hear Bidenesque gibberish fall from their mouth).
REPUBLICANS and INDEPENDENTS NEED TO WAKE UP. --- STOP BEING SCARED TO TALK ABOUT THESE SUBJECTS PUBLICLY!
LASTLY, START INFORMING THOSE AROUND YOU of the nearly limitless array of positive outcomes that vouchers make possible. Sure, your local school system may have to get rid of unimportant positions / in order to tighten their belts! PERHAPS, start with all DIE and SEL programs and officials!!! ...and yes, I used the acronym DIE - for diversity, inclusion, and equity -----that arrangement of acronym more closely aligns with their goals for nation.
Thanks so much! Long story short, I recently wrote a post about education saving accounts and other school choice initiatives coming out of Southern state legislatures. I've noticed that many of them are expanding or eliminating the financial threshold to qualify for these vouchers, which in theory suggests that taxpayers will subsidize private education for anyone, not just struggling families. 1. Am I over exaggerating this trend and 2. Is there enough meat on the bone with these policy developments to pitch to a publication?
That's definitely the trend - TN has essentially done that - 1) by changing the school funding formula and 2) by ensuring all formula dollars (state and local) and not just a fixed amount "follow the student." This is part of the ALEC model, it seems - creating "student-centered" funding and then using that mechanism to beef up voucher dollars. Let me know if you have more questions: aspears35@gmail.com
As a GA citizen who has spent the past few years intertwining myself in the day-to-day of public education - I can tell you why this bill failed (or at least my educated opinion :) )
1-word: MESSAGING
People legitimately think there public school will be permanently financially scarred if the bill passes. Well ...........why is this? Because that was the EXACT MESSAGE of the only effective messaging to make it to the masses!
Am I saying the average citizen is dumb? NO, they’re (including me on certain other subjects) just gloriously uninformed of actual facts.
Now, is the average elected official (ga and nationally) dumb? YES! Please note that I speak on this from a position of 1st person authority. Many are shells of human beings - who cannot tell you a thought without first reading it as a talking point.
PLEASE NOTE: I’m referring to both sides of the aisle with my comment. I can’t count the number of times that I’ve briefed significantly important people after they’ve flown around the world - only to observe them looking like a kindergartener auditing a college physics class (I.e., sure they’re making eye contact - but if I ask for a response 1-layer beneath the talking points - I’m liable to hear Bidenesque gibberish fall from their mouth).
REPUBLICANS and INDEPENDENTS NEED TO WAKE UP. --- STOP BEING SCARED TO TALK ABOUT THESE SUBJECTS PUBLICLY!
LASTLY, START INFORMING THOSE AROUND YOU of the nearly limitless array of positive outcomes that vouchers make possible. Sure, your local school system may have to get rid of unimportant positions / in order to tighten their belts! PERHAPS, start with all DIE and SEL programs and officials!!! ...and yes, I used the acronym DIE - for diversity, inclusion, and equity -----that arrangement of acronym more closely aligns with their goals for nation.
That is all ...for now
Hi Andy. Happy I stumbled upon your substack. Any chance I could email you about something I’m working on? Would love your advice. Thanks! - Matt
Of course! Happy to connect. Just reply to the post and we’ll go from there.
Thanks so much! Long story short, I recently wrote a post about education saving accounts and other school choice initiatives coming out of Southern state legislatures. I've noticed that many of them are expanding or eliminating the financial threshold to qualify for these vouchers, which in theory suggests that taxpayers will subsidize private education for anyone, not just struggling families. 1. Am I over exaggerating this trend and 2. Is there enough meat on the bone with these policy developments to pitch to a publication?
That's definitely the trend - TN has essentially done that - 1) by changing the school funding formula and 2) by ensuring all formula dollars (state and local) and not just a fixed amount "follow the student." This is part of the ALEC model, it seems - creating "student-centered" funding and then using that mechanism to beef up voucher dollars. Let me know if you have more questions: aspears35@gmail.com