More funding preferable to risky voucher plan

The Nevada State Education Association, which represents 40,000 teachers and education support professionals is committed to public education, our students and communities. That’s why we believe that public money needs to be invested in strong public schools to benefit every Nevada student.

All Nevada students deserve a chance at success, and the proven way to accomplish this is through a well-funded public education, not a risky voucher program like the Education Savings Accounts. Just ask a teacher. Nine out of 10 teachers believe that vouchers are a threat to public education. We have seen voucher programs in other states divert tax money to unaccountable and often inferior private schools, while public schools suffer from declining investment.

The problems with school voucher programs are numerous. When public money is spent on private education, this means less money for public education. That could mean larger classes, fewer extracurricular activities and reduced programming for special needs populations.

But there’s even more that’s wrong with private school vouchers. Researchers at the University of Illinois recently found that, when controlled for differences in student demographics, public schools produce better student outcomes than private schools. The study shows that a well-resourced public education system outperforms private schools because private schools do not have the same fiscal and academic standards and accountability systems that are built into public schools.

Meanwhile, many private schools admit higher-income students while passing over low-income and low-performing students, English language learners and students with learning disabilities. Public schools welcome the challenge of educating every student, but the reality is that this can effectively be done only with additional resources.

That’s why Nevada Supreme Court’s decision that found the state’s voucher program in violation of the state’s constitutional mandate to fund public education was so important. The court gave Nevadans a time-out from this risky voucher program, so we can refocus on what needs to be done to improve education for every Nevada student. This includes making sure we provide our schools with increased funding, so we can better teach students who are English language learners, low-income or have learning disabilities. We should build on the good from the last legislative session to fully fund science, technology, engineering, arts and math programs; universal pre-school; and literacy programs so every student can read by the third grade.

Finally, when it comes to school choice, we should make sure that every parent has the choice to send their kid to a strong public school, before we get mired in the politics of backroom deal-making on the terms of a risky voucher program. The truth is that any voucher program that diverts public money to private education will only short-change students in public schools and leave most with no choice. That’s why educators have chosen to work for strong public schools that serve every student. We hope you will join us.

Ruben Murillo, Jr. is a special education teacher and the president of the Nevada State Education Association.