Offering tax credits for scholarships to private schools has been a controversial issue in Nebraska.

After tax-credit bills failed to pass in 2020 and 2021, this year the Opportunity Scholarships Act was signed into law. Legislative Bill 753 provides donors to scholarship-granting organizations a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for up to 50% of their income tax liability.

Carlie Jonas, policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs, said public schools are a big part of rural Nebraska. She predicts communities will be affected by any loss of funding this bill creates, regardless of whether they have any private schools.

"In 48 of Nebraska's 93 counties, there are not any private schools and, as you move from the central to the western parts of the state, that's even more true," Jonas pointed out. "Only seven counties west of Kearney County have a private school," which is seven of the 38 counties in the region.

Jonas said the Center's analysis found a huge disparity between the Opportunity Scholarships Act tax credit and the standard tax credit for donations. Someone owing $100,000 in income taxes could reduce their tax liability by $50,000 by donating $50,000 to a scholarship-granting organization. But donating that $50,000 to a charitable group would reduce their tax liability by only around $3,300.

Supporters of the bill maintain it gives Nebraska families more freedom to pick the school that best fits their child's needs.

Dave Welsch, a retired Nebraska organic farmer and longtime school board member from Milford, said he worries about the losses other Nebraska charities may experience if the law stands.

"With LB-753, it takes one brand-new charitable organization, the scholarship-granting organizations and elevates them," Welsch noted. "And it actually incentivizes people to give to them because they're offering a dollar-for-dollar income tax credit."

Welsch also anticipates lost tax revenue from the measure, combined with the 2023 income tax breaks, will lead to a revenue shortage. His decades on a school board have shown him that usually means cuts in public school funding.

He also believes providing public dollars for private schools goes against the state Constitution.

"That's why they had to create this scheme to create scholarship-granting organizations," Welsch contended. "So that when individuals and corporations donate to them, then they can offer up this dollar-for-dollar income tax credit."

Jonas emphasized that the experience of other states, such as Arizona, where its scholarship fund has grown to an annual $250 million, should be a warning to Nebraska.

"It leads them to rely more heavily on local taxes, like property taxes, to fund the budget deficit," Jonas explained. "In Nebraska this is an issue, with the amount of property taxes used for public schools."

A petition drive is underway to get the measure on the ballot in the 2024 election, as is an opposing drive aimed at keeping people from signing.

Teachers in Louisiana are trying to stop an upcoming constitutional convention proposed by Gov. Jeff Landry. The governor, who has been in office for three months, is demanding that state legislators and 27 of his appointees convene from May 20 through June 3 to rewrite the state's constitution.

Baton Rouge first-grade teacher Jaret Guidry is concerned by the governor's lack of specifics.

"I have been emailing all of my representatives and Congress men and women," Guidry said, "saying, 'This is too rushed, this is not a good idea, something's going to get missed, something's going to be done wrong.' You cannot effectively go through this document in a matter of weeks."

K-through-12 school funding, retirement security for teachers, school bus drivers and other public employees who don't pay into the Social Security system are protected in the current state constitution. The Louisiana Federation of Teachers has posted petitions opposing the convention on its website.

The Louisiana Constitution was last amended in 1973. The convention then lasted 12 months under then-Gov. Edwin Edwards.

If the new convention occurs now, said Ascension Parish history teacher Jacob Newsom, lawmakers could make decisions that change the lives of everyone in Louisiana.

"We've got a lot to be concerned about," Newsom said. "Number one, Jeff Landry - based on his own proclamations and actions - does not appear to be a friend of public education and if given the chance, I would assume he was going to remove the protections that we got placed in the constitution for public-education funding and Medicaid funding, and all these other programs."

Landry's office has said the convention would only focus on rewriting the articles that govern taxes and spending.


get more stories like this via email

The first week of May is designated as Teacher Appreciation Week in the United States.

The push to honor teachers started in 1953 when First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded Congress that there needed to be a specific day to recognize educators for their hard work. Students and parents often give teachers small gifts this week, and many retailers are offering special deals and discounts to educators.

Jennifer Easley, president of the Texas PTA, said the best way to honor teachers is to stand up for their rights.

"I think the biggest thing we can do to show them appreciation is to be advocating for them year-round - not only for public school funding, so that teachers and staff can get the compensation that they deserve, but also to make sure that they're getting the two-way respectful communication they are craving and deserve," she said.

Easley added improving working conditions for teachers will also encourage more young people to enter the profession and keep more seasoned educators in the classroom.

The Texas PTA was formed in 1970 when the "Texas Congress of Mothers" and the "Texas Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers" combined efforts to improve the state's education system. It's the second-largest state PTA in the nation, with more than 2,000 chapters across the state. Easley said throughout the years, the organization's mission has remained the same: to improve the lives of teachers, students and families.

"And they are able to facilitate conversations on their campuses with their parents. And as far as engagement goes, I mean, our PTAs are there to try to provide opportunities to bring parents to the table, " she explained.

Easley added a person does not have to be a parent or have a child enrolled in school to join a local PTA chapter. Membership is open to anyone who cares about young people and their futures.


get more stories like this via email

The shortage of educators and school staffers has reached a crisis level in some Pennsylvania public schools, prompting a new "Educators Rising" program, which aims to recruit future educators from local high schools.

Ten schools are already participating, with students attending the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center to develop teaching skills.

Donna Rain-O'Dell, workforce education coordinator at the center, said in the "Grow Your Own" program at Mount Pleasant High School, the students gain hands-on experience by observing and assisting teachers in classrooms a couple of days a week.

"We actually have some of our students going into classrooms that are teaching small group or mini-lessons," Rain-O'Dell explained. "Like, one student is teaching Spanish I, when she's a Spanish III student; and then we have a student, that's in AP Bio that's helping with the biology class. So it's kind of cool, and it's definitely a unique situation."

She pointed out next year, they will start their first "college in high school" course at the University of Pittsburgh Greensburg campus. Keystone State schools are struggling to fill more than 5,500 vacant teaching positions.

Rena Enterline, vocational rehabilitation counselor for the center, said they partner with The Learning Lamp and Shippensburg University and students can earn nine credits toward higher education.

"That is more of a dual-enrollment type class," Enterline noted. "They will take classes through Shippensburg University, and they'll actually get a transcript through them. And then, they can take those credits and use them at any university that will accept them when they decide to go to college."

Enterline added current seniors will not have been in the program for two years but can still use the credits they earn this year through the dual enrollment opportunity.

Amanda Funk, CTE instructor at McCaskey High School in Lancaster, said hers is the only Lancaster County high school to have an in-house career and technology program. It attracts a diverse group of students who help out in elementary schools as juniors and seniors, eventually extending to middle schools.

"The goal is to bring them back and they get a guaranteed interview after college in our district and then they'll have that added support," Funk stressed. "Part of our job description is to actually mentor them through their college years. And then once they come back and get a job in our district, to mentor them there as well."

Funk added one lesson in the Educators Rising curriculum focuses on anti-bias instruction. She observed students have personally thanked her for classroom discussions on the topic.


get more stories like this via email