ALEC, KPI and Education “Reform”

ALEC is the American Legislative Exchange Commission, an ultra-conservative group that brings together corporate leaders and legislators and churns out model legislation they bring back to their states. ALEC has an active education component that calls for first attacking the academic achievements in schools and then proposing free market solutions. Game On is opposed to their “behind closed doors” tactics and for the direct interplay between legislators and for-profit corporations peddling privatization options that will benefit them. ALEC creates “model” legislation, which local legislators then push in their states without identifying the true source of the bills.

There are many Kansas legislators with ALEC ties and leadership roles in the organization. In fact, in 2014 the legislative session ended early as they would normally still be in session during the weekend of the ALEC spring conference in Oklahoma May 2-3. Although we have seen a decrease in their numbers after the 2016 elections, Kansans must still be aware of ALEC and the activity of its members.

KPI (Kansas Policy Institute) is a free market based “think tank” that devotes a great deal of effort to undermining confidence in Kansas public schools and claiming they are overfunded. Although it keeps its funders secret, it is understood that the Kochs are behind the organization. It is also part of ALEC’s State Policy Network. Though they don’t often say what they’d like to see in Kansas, they have recommended our legislature adopt and promote multiple forms of “scholarships,” tax credits, charter schools, home schooling, online learning, A-F grading of schools, alternative teaching certification, social promotion ban (ala third grade retention) and incentives for success. Many of these reforms are also part of the misguided “reform” efforts we’ve seen fail in multiple states with a heavy ALEC presence. If you look at the list, you see much of their great solution for schools is to reduce funding for our public schools and take kids out of them.

ALEC, KPI and Education “Reform”

Further Reading