Dive Brief:
- A number of states, including Florida and Arizona, have entered new territory when it comes to the world of school choice by implementing education savings accounts.
- ESAs allow families to set aside tax dollars typically earmarked for public education and spend it instead on private school tuition (think the voucher model) or almost any educational opportunity parents see fit for their child (piano lessons, field trips, tutors, etc.).
- Like virtually any plan that diverts money from traditional public schools, ESAs have come under criticism.
Dive Insight:
In June, Republican legislators in Delaware proposed an ESA model, knowing that it probably wouldn't pass. Backers said the goal was to raise attention about school choice options.
The keyword that supporters of ESAs bring up is "customization" -- that the program rallows parents to tailor their child's education programming. Of course, there is question of what is best use of public education fund and whether ESA could decentralize and tear apart the foundations of traditional school district.
There is also the fear of abuses in this system. Politico wrote about the topic of ESAs and brought up the example of one Florida family who tried to use ESA funds to pay for a family trip to Europe (listed as an educational trip). Ultimately the trip was denied, but the example does bring up questions of where and when to draw the line.