skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Young people in Georgia on the brink of reshaping political landscape; Garland faces down GOP attacks over Hunter Biden inquiry; rural Iowa declared 'ambulance desert.'

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

McConnell warns government shutdowns are "a loser for Republicans," Schumer takes action to sidestep Sen. Tuberville's opposition to military appointments, and advocates call on Connecticut governor to upgrade election infrastructure.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

An Indigenous project in South Dakota seeks to protect tribal data sovereignty, advocates in North Carolina are pushing back against attacks on public schools, and Arkansas wants the hungriest to have access to more fruits and veggies.

Poll: Voters Reject Tuition Vouchers, Voice Public School Support

play audio
Play

Thursday, January 19, 2023   

A new poll commissioned by the American Federation of Teachers finds most voters strongly oppose private school vouchers, which allow families to home-school their kids or seek private education using state funds.

Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed a voucher program in her State of the State address. It's now House Bill 1.

Known as "Education Savings Accounts," they would total $7,600 for every Iowa K-12 student, the same amount the state allocates for each public school student. Reynolds, a Republican, said choice is key to strengthening schools.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, countered her union's poll shows parents want lawmakers to invest in public schools, not defund them.

"Deal with the teacher and the nurse and the guidance counselor shortages," Weingarten urged. "Get educators the resources they need to create safe and welcoming environments. Boost and focus on academic skills, like career tech ed."

Debate on the bill could begin in the Iowa House as early as next week. The Legislature has rejected Reynolds' private school voucher plans twice before. She has vowed to work more closely with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to get it passed this year.

Private school vouchers are a controversial political issue in a number of states.

Guy Molyneux, partner at Hart Research Associates which conducted the poll, said among the 1,500 voters surveyed, there appears to be strong bipartisan opposition to states paying for a student's private education.

"By a 4-to-1 ratio, voters say it's more important to improve the quality of education in the schools," Molyneux reported. "Even Republicans, by more than a 2-to-1 margin, say that's the more important goal."

The poll also reflected voters are more concerned about getting back to education basics in the classroom than they are about cultural issues like critical race theory or "woke indoctrination."

The poll results were released this month. It was conducted about a month after the midterm elections.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
Among 12- to 17-year-olds nationwide, 2.08 million or 8.33% report using drugs in the last month. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

In the wake of the devastating overdose epidemic in North Carolina, the state's Department of Health and Human Services is stepping up to aid …


Social Issues

play sound

In cities across the globe, including the Michigan city of Midland, various organizations are commemorating International Day of Peace today…

Social Issues

play sound

Georgia's young people could shift the political landscape of the state in the near future. New data from the Brookings Institution indicates that …


According to the EPA, tropical storms and hurricanes have become more intense during the past 20 years.(Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

In rural Alabama, where hurricanes and tornadoes are a constant threat, communities often struggle with damage and limited resources for extended …

Social Issues

play sound

While many Wyomingites of Hispanic descent came from Mexico, there is a lesser-known population from the old Spanish settlements of northern New …

Health and Wellness

play sound

The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is on the rise in Mississippi. About one in seven Mississippians lives with diabetes. Jernard A. Wells, cookbook …

Social Issues

play sound

This week, feminism passes a milestone of sorts as the iconic publication, Ms. Magazine, looks back on its first fifty years. A new book has just …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021