Giving Compass' Take:
- Katie Klingsporn reports on Wyoming's universal school voucher bill being signed into law, discussing the controversy around this legislation.
- As a donor, how can you support systems change towards equitable educational opportunities for students in the U.S. and across the globe?
- Learn more about key issues in education and how you can help.
- Search our Guide to Good for nonprofits focused on education in your area.
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Gov. Mark Gordon lauded Wyoming's controversial universal school voucher bill Tuesday morning before signing it into law hours later.
House Bill 199, “Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act,” will represent a significant expansion of school choice in the state, offering families $7,000 per child annually for K-12 non-public-school costs like tuition or tutoring. The scholarship will also offer money for pre-K costs, but only to income-qualified families who are at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.
The legislation has sparked a deluge of constituent feedback, according to lawmakers, both from supporters of school choice and from critics who call the measure an unconstitutional bill that will erode the quality of public education in the state.
Gordon had himself partially vetoed a similar bill last year, citing constitutional concerns. However, he lauded this version as a “remarkable achievement for Wyoming.”
“I’m very excited that we’re not only going to be able to expand K-12 choices to be accompanied by careful oversight and … ensure that all families have access to the best educational options,” Gordon said, “but as we pursue these opportunities, I want to make sure that we uphold the strength of Wyoming’s public schools.”
The Universal School Voucher Bill's Journey
The law will transform and expand an existing state education savings account program that gives public money to income-qualified families to help them pay for pre-K programs, homeschooling costs or private school tuition. The education savings account program was passed last year and began accepting applicants in January.
House Bill 199 sponsor Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie, called the 2024 ESA program much too narrow. His new bill proposed to offer up to $7,000 per student regardless of a family’s economic needs. Along with making the program universal, in its original form, the bill dropped: the preschool component, a requirement that participating students take statewide assessments or similar nationwide tests and a requirement that providers be certified by the Department of Education.
Read the full article about Wyoming's universal school voucher bill by Katie Klingsporn at WyoFile.