Public school advocates are urging lawmakers to oppose any effort to fund Nevada’s school voucher program.
They’re calling themselves the Coalition to Fight Vouchers. Made up of public education advocacy groups, the coalition met on the steps of the state legislature yesterday, to demand lawmakers put state funds into public schools arguing that Education Savings Accounts hurt students.
“We are all here to ask our legislators to this dangerous and extreme voucher scheme this legislative session,” says Annette Magnus is with Battle Born Progress, a left-leaning political group. “We will be here in this building every step of the way to remind our elected officials that vouchers are wrong for Nevada and we will be here to hold them accountable.”
Republicans, however, are moving forward with plans to structure and fund the program.
Yesterday, Senator Scott Hammond of Las Vegas, introduced a bill that would place ESA’s back on the docket for the 2017 session.
“We’re basically trying to fulfill the promise that we made two years ago and making sure that these parents and the students that they represent are given the choice to go where they want to go,” Hammond says.
The measure has been referred to the Senate Education Committee, which plans to hold a hearing on the measure in the next few weeks.