Our “First Principles Series” is an ongoing awareness effort by Beacon to restore our nation’s commitment to those principles of free markets, individual liberty, and limited government that have made America the best nation in the history of the world. Often, politicians eager to appease constituents can stray from these principles. And voters can be misled into believing that policies violating these principles are in their best interest when they’re not. This series is designed to set the record straight and make the case for standing up for our most important principles, even when it might be politically expedient to ignore them. Read our entire “First Principles Series” here.
As Tennessee policymakers have debated a universal school choice program over the past few years, the idea has generated many headlines. Some of those headlines have been overtly critical of giving parents more options, saying that “public” money should only go to public schools. Even some conservatives have stood against the idea of universal school choice based on this argument.
First, let’s talk about what “public” money means. The premise is that once taxpayers fork over their hard-earned money, those dollars become the government’s. In reality, there is no such thing as “public” money. Taxpayer money belongs to taxpayers, not government. The government is simply the steward of those dollars and is tasked with ensuring they are spent responsibly. Returning a portion of that money back to parents so they can use it at the best school for their child reflects this reality.
Now some would say that the government shouldn’t be involved in education at all, and that if we really want to put parents in charge, then we should opt for a system that removes government from the equation altogether. There may be a solid principled case for such a position, but given the government’s monopoly over education today, removing its role entirely would be unlikely and pragmatically fraught.
So what’s the best course of action?
Simply put, parents pay taxes, and they should be able to use the tax dollars we already set aside to provide their child with an education at the school that best serves their child’s needs.
Our new Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) program operates just like that. Whether parents keep their child in their zoned public school or choose another option, they are paying all the same taxes they otherwise would. They don’t get a tax break for not enrolling their child in a public school.
Prior to the enactment of the EFS program, parents who have already sacrificed to put their child in a private school paid twice. They owed the same amount in taxes, but then paid out of pocket for private school tuition. In enacting the EFS program, state lawmakers recognized that parents should be able to use the tax dollars allocated for their child at the school of their choice. Money should follow the child no matter what option they choose.
The new program goes a step further to ensure that those stuck in a zoned public school that is not meeting their needs can likewise access their tax dollars to choose a better fit. This year, half of the 20,000 available scholarships are limited to low-income families who might not otherwise be able to afford private school tuition on top of the taxes they pay. And in future years, those currently enrolling their kids in their zoned public school and those who are low-income both receive priority if demand for the program exceeds the number of available scholarships.
Education freedom is about empowering families to make the best decision for their child, no matter their means. Our one-size-fits-all education system is not getting the results we should expect, and parents—not education bureaucrats or zip codes—are in the best position to do something about it. If a child’s public school is working for them, then great; parents will continue to enroll their child in that school. But there are many reasons that a child would need a different option. Maybe they are bullied and would do better in a smaller school. Maybe they want to attend a school with a particular focus like music, arts, or STEM. Reasons abound.
Whatever their reason for choosing a different option, parents should be in the driver’s seat. And programs like the new EFS program are the best and most sensible way to ensure that they are the real decision makers. Education freedom is both a principled and practical way to fund education in our state.