by Glenn Cook
Las Vegas Review-Journal
June 7, 2015
Nevada as a trailblazer in education? Underachieving, Third-World Nevada setting a new national standard in school policy that other states are destined to follow?
Believe it. And it never, ever would have happened if a Republican Legislature and governor weren’t in power.
The sweeping education reform agenda passed by Nevada lawmakers and signed by Gov. Brian Sandoval included a groundbreaking school choice provision: nearly universal education savings accounts, or ESAs. Starting next year, parents will be able to withdraw their children from public school, gain control of the tax revenue that funded their enrollment, and spend that money on an educational program that’s best suited for them. ESAs are much better and more flexible than school vouchers for two reasons.
“First, the ESAs move from school choice to educational choice. Not all learning takes place in a classroom. By changing the education funding mechanism to reflect that reality, Nevada will allow parents to better tailor their children’s education to meet their unique learning needs,” said Jason Bedrick, policy analyst for the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom.
“Second, whereas the entire amount of the voucher had to be spent in one place at one time, the ESA funds can be spent on multiple educational products and services, and families can save unspent funds for the future. … Overnight, Nevada has become the most interesting state for education reform.”
ESAs exist in Arizona, Florida, Tennessee and Mississippi, but they place restrictions on eligibility. Across the country, parents only gain the power of choice based on their income or whether their child’s school performs poorly. Nevada’s ESA law only requires that students first be enrolled in public school to take advantage.
“By not setting conditions on the types of families able to take advantage of this program, Nevada leaders
