Dive Brief:
- Republican legislators in Delaware have proposed "education savings accounts" that would allow families to set aside tax dollars typically earmarked for public education and spend it instead on private school tuition.
- Lawmakers don't think the proposal will pass, but hope it raises awareness on the need for parents to take charge of their children's education.
- As long as a child does not attend public school, a parent could set aside a portion of the state's per-student spending and then spend it on any educational opportunity they desire.
Dive Insight:
This plan sounds close to school vouchers and is likely to kick up as much dust as similar initiatives in other states. According to recent U.S. Census Bureau data, Delaware is the No. 9 per-pupil spender on students, but its average NAEP scores are still substandard. This disconnect shows why the state would be searching for new ideas, however, encouraging families to take money and support out of public schools is probably not going to make them better.