OPINION/TESTIMONY: Nevada’s Opportunity Scholarship Program
It has been a BUSY several weeks.
Gov. Joe Lombardo speaking at a school choice rally at Saint Anne Catholic School Friday, August 4.
Check out my recent opinion for the Nevada Globe about how it is unjust to trap students in failing government schools from August 4 amid the possibility of low-income students losing their Opportunity Scholarships in Nevada.
That same day, Gov. Joe Lombardo held a rally about saving Opportunity Scholarships ahead of a meeting several days later to discuss how the school choice program could be saved.
With Valeria Gurr, head of Nevada School Choice Coalition and Senior Fellow at American Federation for Children.
Democratic opposition to supporting options for low-income students raises many questions. Shouldn’t Nevada Democrats, who claim to care about low-income families, support measures that improve access to Opportunity Scholarships for these families? Despite allocating record funding of $2 billion for public education, why did Democratic legislators and teachers unions oppose a mere $50 million for Opportunity Scholarships? Why did the Democratic majority significantly reduce funding for the program?
I also spoke during the Interim Finance Committee’s hearing on August 9 to urge lawmakers to vote to give COVID-19 dollars for the Opportunity Scholarships.
Unfortunately, the IFC voted against giving the COVID-19 funding to the scholarships.
When Gov. Steve Sisolak closed schools in the state, during the pandemic it led many families to look into other education options, so yes, it makes sense to use COVID-19 funding.
AAA Foundation will be funding the scholarships for now.
