TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt wants to set aside $130 million to create an Education Savings Account (ESA), which is another term for school vouchers.
However, a poll released by theOklahoma Education Coalition conducted by the Tarrance Group shows an overwhelming majority of Oklahomans oppose the plan. The Tarrance Group is a Republican strategic research and polling firm.
Jamie Rogers is a Union Public Schools parent who once considered private school for her two kids. She is not against them, but she is frustrated with Stitt’s plan to use public money to help parents pay for private school tuition.
“We need to have a thriving education system for our society to be able to succeed,” Rogers said.
The plan includes giving parents at least $5,000 per child. That’s based on estimates of the percentage of families who would use vouchers (5-10%). The amount would not cover tuition for the vast majority of private schools. In the Tulsa metro, tuitions range from $7,700 to $23,000 a year, in addition to other fees and transportation.
“I don’t believe the majority of these kids would have that opportunity even with the vouchers,” Rogers said.
Katherine Bishop, President of the Oklahoma Education Association, says the poll also shows parents want more focus on competitive pay for teachers.
“I think that is an absolute laughable poll from the radical left-wing teachers union,” said State Superintendent Ryan Walters. “Guess what? We just had two polls: my election and the governor’s election. We ran on school choice. We talked about it in all 77 counties.”
Bishop says the poll was done by the same group Republican U.S. Sen. James Lankford uses.
Walters says constituents are demanding school choice. He says he’s ensured several public school superintendents that the plan does not put public school funding in jeopardy.
A similar school voucher bill failed in last year’s legislative session due to a lack of support from rural lawmakers. Walters says he’s confident there will be more support from the legislature moving forward.
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