The long-awaited opportunity to expand educational options for parents who seek to enhance their children’s academic experience is poised to be debated among Alabama lawmakers during the 2022 regular legislative session.
State Sen. Del Marsh (R-Anniston) on Tuesday plans to officially introduce the “Parent’s Choice Act,” which would create a program to expand alternative educational options to parents through education savings accounts.
The bill would form a Parent’s Choice Board that would consist of the state treasurer, state finance director, a representative of the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program, and four parents, grandparents, and guardians of students enrolled in public K-12 school. The board would be tasked with administering the Parent’s Choice Program.
If enacted, public school students, home schooled students and students entering kindergarten may apply to participate for the 2022-2023 school year. For the following school year, eligibility would expand to include nonpublic school students from families with an adjusted gross income of up to 200% of the federal poverty level.
All students, public and nonpublic, regardless of income may apply to participate at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year.
No school would be required to participate in the program. Schools that opt to participate would determine to what extent their involvement would be.
While Republicans for years have enjoyed a supermajority in the legislature, no significant piece of legislation expanding parental choice in education has become law. Marsh, who previously served as the Senate’s top-ranking lawmaker, looks to spearhead the legislation into law prior to the expiration of his final year of service in the upper chamber.
“I think it’s timely. I’m hopeful that my colleagues are going to understand the importance of this, both Republicans and Democrats,” Marsh told Yellowhammer News. “And quite honestly, not that they’ll admit it, I was looking at a [2021] poll from the American Federation for Children on parent’s choice, and 74 percent agree with that. I’m not talking Republicans, I’m talking Democrats and Republicans.”
The senator went on to note that significant support for expanding parental choice spans across all racial demographics.
When asked by Yellowhammer News if the political will exists among lawmakers to pass the bill, Marsh indicated that the support would be present if the concerns of parents were being placed into consideration.
“Well, there should be. If you want to get with what the parents of this state want right now, then you should fully support this bill,” he said. “The only reason you would not support this bill is you fall to the desire of a few special interest groups that just don’t want choice. And I would hope that would not happen.”
According to Marsh, the bill has been developed over the course of nine months, during which the senator has actively involved his colleagues in the process. All members of the Senate are aware of the bill, he advised. Marsh said he would be “open to suggestions” from his colleagues as discussions take place.
“The time is now for this reform bill, this parent’s choice bill, to be voted on by the legislature and signed by the governor,” Marsh declared, adding that his bill “gives a parent total control of decisions for their child’s education.”
Marsh’s proposal would enable the utilization of public, private, vocational and home schools.
He continued, “What parents need to understand is this bill truly gives a parent total control of decisions for their child’s education. It doesn’t force a parent to do anything. The parent can use the public school system, the parent can homeschool, the parent can use a private school, the parent can even choose vocational training for their child as part of their curriculum.”
“It finally gives parents and children control of their destiny. Parents need to understand that this chance may not come up again,” said Marsh. “They better pick up the phone and call their legislators, and tell them they want this bill passed because the special interest groups that don’t want it will be ringing their phones.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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