February 3, 2023
Senator Lou Ann Linehan, Chairperson
Senator Joni Albrecht
Senator Eliot Bostar
Senator Tom Briese
Senator George Dungan
Senator Kathleen Kauth
Senator Dave Murman
Senator R. Brad von Gillern
Good afternoon distinguished members of the Revenue Committee:
My name is Barbara Baier, B-A-R-B-A-R-A, B-A-I-E-R. I am a member of the Lincoln Board of Education. I am offering testimony in opposition to LB 753
While you have heard a wide range of testimony, I am focusing my testimony on how the bill as written cannot accomplish its stated goals in Section 2, subsection 1, that opportunity scholarships “will improve the quality of education available to all children.”
First, LB753 makes these funds available to “qualified schools”, defined as private schools that are allowed to discriminate in their enrollment practices based on any grounds other than race rather than identifying that enrollment be available for all students.
So, for instance, the state would define private schools that discriminated against children based on their religious beliefs as “qualifying schools” and eligible to receive these scholarships derived from tax credits from the State of Nebraska.
Other qualified schools may have enrollment policies that discriminate against:
- a student having insufficient family funds to pay the difference between the cost of tuition and the amount of scholarship; or
- based on a children’s disability.
“Qualified schools” could even discriminate against a student’s continued enrollment based on behaviors and expel students who are receiving scholarships back to public school at any time during the school year for which they have received the scholarship funding.
These scholarships are not intended for ALL Nebraska children.
Second, the bill prohibits the state from requiring financial or academic accountability measures to ensure that the funds are:
- Improving quality educational opportunities,
- Generating better educational outcomes, or
- Being used for educational purposes.
This makes it impossible to measure any changes in quality, so that part of the goal, improving the quality of education, cannot be measured, so it cannot be achieved.
Improving quality education opportunities for all children is a goal that we all share, but we believe that it is impossible to LB753 to assist in reaching it.
On the other hand, non-discriminatory enrollment practices and financial and academic accountability measures are hallmarks of public schools, are in place, and are being continuously monitored by schools, parents, community members, taxpayers, and School Boards.
For these reasons, we ask the Revenue Committee not to move LB753 out of the committee. I would be happy to respond to any questions.
