February 22, 2025
Sen. Robert Clements, Chairperson
Sen. Loren Lippincott
Sen. Christy Armendariz, Vice Chairperson
Sen. Jason Prokop
Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh
Sen. Ashlei Spivey
Sen. Myron Dorn
Sen. Paul Strommen
Sen. Robert Dover
Chair Clements and members of the Appropriations Committee:
The Lincoln Public Schools opposes LB624 proposed by Senator Dover, which would directly appropriate $10 million annually in the form of “education scholarships” to attend approved or accredited private or parochial schools. The commitment of this revenue for non-public entities would further erode the funding available for public institutions including PK-12 public education, at a time when the state is facing a substantial funding shortfall.
Public funds are appropriately committed to public entities, and LB624 would commit substantial resources to schools that are not subject to the same non-discrimination requirements or to the same transparency and accountability requirements as our public school systems. This includes measures of both fiscal and academic transparency. LB624 notably does not contain any reporting mechanisms or program standards to demonstrate how it would actually operate. While the bill notes intent for low-income and at-risk students, it does not define or explain these phrases.
Furthermore, the research on student performance within privatization initiatives such as that proposed in the bill suggests that the return on investment in student learning outcomes does not justify the allocation of funding for these purposes. Specifically, a couple recent reports out of states pledging funding in this manner: From the private school voucher program in Louisiana: “On average, voucher students at private schools fare worse on state tests than their public-school peers, according to scores examined by The Times-Picayune and The Advocate. In 2023, just 14% of voucher students in grades 3-8 met state achievement targets, compared with 24% of low-income students at public schools.” [nola.com/news] Another study of multiple states found: “In Louisiana, researchers from the University of Arkansas found students statewide who switched from public to private schools using the Louisiana Scholarship Program…showed no benefit in language arts or math after three years, compared to students who remained in public school.” [ https://www.edweek.org/leadership/voucher-studies-in-louisiana-indiana-show-problems-in-early-years/2017/06]
Given the lack of empirical validation of existing programs such as that proposed in LB624, policymakers should be very concerned that this bill does not include a method for measuring achievement of students accessing these funds, and so cannot demonstrate that it improves the quality of educational outcomes or practices.
In conclusion, the Lincoln Public Schools opposes the advancement of LB624.
Sincerely,
Dr. John Skretta
Interim Superintendent
Lincoln Public Schools
402-440-9092
