ExpandingEducationalFreedomand OpportunityforFamilies
DateIssued:January29,2025
Topic:Education
WHATDOESTHISEXECUTIVEORDERDO?
Thisorderexpandsschoolchoiceprogramsbyencouragingstatesto usefederalfundstosupportK-12educationalchoiceinitiatives,including charterschools,privateschoolscholarships,andeducationsavings accounts(ESAs).
ThisorderdirectstheSecretaryofEducationtoissueguidelineswithin60 daysforhowstatesshouldusefederalformulafundstoimplement Choiceinitiatives.
TheorderdirectstheSecretaryofEducationtoinclude“education freedom”asapriorityindiscretionarygrantprograms.
TheorderdirectstheSecretariesofLaborandEducationtoreviewtheir grantprogramsandsubmitaplanwithin90daystothePresident makingrecommendationsforusingdiscretionarygrantprogramsto expandschoolchoiceprograms.
TheorderdirectstheSecretaryofHealthandHumanServicestoissue guidance“regardingwhetherandhowStatesreceivingblockgrantsfor familiesandchildrenfromtheDepartment,includingtheChildCareand DevelopmentBlockGrant(CCDGB),canusethemtoexpandeducational choiceandsupportfamilieswhochooseeducationalalternativesto governmentalentities,includingprivateandfaith-basedoptions.”
Accordingtotheorder,theSecretaryofDefenseshouldsubmitaplanto thePresidentwithin90daystomakerecommendationsformechanisms availablefor“military-connected”familiestouseDepartmentofDefense fundstoattendschoolsoftheirchoice.
TheorderdirectstheSecretaryofInteriortosubmitaplantothePresident within90daystodescribeandrecommendmechanismsforfamiliesof eligiblestudentstousefederalfundingtoattendBureauofIndian Education(BIE)Schools.Additionally,theSecretarywillreportonthe performanceoftheBIEschoolsandidentifylocalalternatives.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
Schoolchoicesupportersarguethatschoolchoiceprograms,suchas charterschoolsandvoucherprograms,offerBlackAmericansmore optionswhenitcomestodecidingwheretheirchildrenwillbeeducated. Thoughwell-intended,therealityofschoolchoiceprogramsforBlack studentsismorecomplex.
Researchhasshowntheunforeseenconsequencesofschoolchoice programs.Inparticular,studieshaveshownthatunregulatedschool choiceprogramscanreinforceexistingracialsegregationwithBlack studentsendingupinunderresourcedschools.Relatedly,increasing federalfundingforschoolchoiceprogramsoftenresultsinfewer resourcesbeingallocatedtotraditionalpublicschools,whichservethe majorityofBlackstudents.Lastly,unlikepublicschools,charterand privateschoolsoftenoperatewithfewerregulations,leadingto disparitiesindiscipline,curriculumquality,admissionspolicies,and financialtransparency,disproportionatelyaffectingBlackstudents.
Withoutpoliciesinplacetoensureequity,adequatefunding,and diversity,schoolchoicecouldexacerbateeducationaldisparitiesrather thanalleviatethem.
HOWARECBCMEMBERSRESPONDING?
TheCongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC)hasalongstandingcommitment toadvancingequityineducation.TheCBChasanEducationandLabor Taskforcethathashistoricallyworkedtoexaminecausesofincreased segregationandensureeducationalinstitutionsarediverseandinclusive. ToreadmoreabouttheCBC’slegacyoneducationpolicyissues,visit Avoice,ourvirtuallibrary.