Legislators and candidates who claim to support vouchers (whether they say tax credit scholarships, ESAs or some other made up reference to helping kids in so-called failing schools) and claim to support public education are either being dishonest or willfully ignorant. There will be a renewed effort to pass vouchers in 2025 and legislators’ past votes are more reliable indications of their true level of support for public education than public statements during their campaigns.

On March 15, 2023, 64 members of the Kansas House voted to pass an Education Savings Account (ESA) bill modeled after Arizona’s disastrous ESA program. On April 6, 2023, a majority of the Kansas House AGAIN voted to pass an Education Savings Account (ESA) bill after their first attempt was not considered in the Senate the month before. Then on the same day 17 members of the Senate voted to pass the ESA bill. They fell 4 votes short of passing the bill, but they are trying to add to their numbers in this election. Be vary wary of statements from these legislators about how much they support public schools or the students they serve. Legislators in bold have an opponent this election.

Originally posted to Facebook 10/16/2024.