DeVos: School choice should expand, but not from Washington, D.C.

Betsy DeVos, U.S. Secretary of Education, heads toward a reception on the evening she is due to speak at the American Federation for Children's conference, Westin Hotel, Indianapolis, Monday, May 22, 2017.

Rather than reveal President Donald Trump's national education proposal as initial reports suggested on Monday, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos — addressing the American Federation for Children in Indianapolis — spoke adamantly about how education shouldn't be run from Washington, D.C.

"The president is proposing the most ambitious expansion of education choice in our nation’s history," she said during the political action committee's conference at the Westin Hotel. "... If a state doesn’t want to participate, that would be a terrible mistake on their part. They will be hurting the children and families who can least afford it."

It was not clear from her speech, however, what that "ambitious expansion" will look like, or how much money would be allocated to charter schools or voucher programs.

Indiana's voucher program is already the largest in the country, in part because of DeVos. Known as the Choice Scholarship Program, it serves more than 34,000 low-to-middle-income children at more than 300 private schools statewide at the cost of $146 million a year.

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DeVos played an influential role in developing Indiana's voucher program, in part by routing millions of dollars in campaign contributions and school choice support.

In his opening comments, Gov. Eric Holcomb also emphasized the state's tax credit program, which offers a $1,000 tax deduction to parents whose child is enrolled in private school or is home-schooled, according to EdChoice, a school choice organization formerly known as the Friedman Foundation. The state also offers individuals and businesses a 50 percent tax credit for donating to five approved organizations that provide private-school scholarships.

Politico reported that President Trump's school-choice education proposal is thought to include a similar but broader program, with tax breaks for parents of children in private schools that, if passed by Congress, could channel billions of public dollars toward private schools.

Initially, DeVos was expected to release more details Monday. When asked about the federal budget before the event, DeVos said the administration will be "focusing on what works for the behalf of students and focusing on supporting that," but said more details would be released in the "days to come." 

Betsy Wiley, president of the Institute for Quality Education — one of the approved organizations in Indiana's tax credit scholarship program — said she hoped the federal proposal will work with standing state programs. She said federal support could help broaden scholarships in Indiana by attracting more donors.

"We're about making sure that all Hoosier families, all Hoosier students ... have access to the highest quality education that they can," she said.

But opponents of expanding school choice point out there's little proof that students are performing better in private schools after receiving a voucher. There's also less financial oversight for private schools.

When asked about this, DeVos said: "Parents are the ones to whom schools ... should be first accountable, and beyond that we should be focused on what the outcomes are, what are kids achieving."

Even before DeVos spoke, Indiana State Teachers Association President Teresa Meredith was worried the proposal would have a negative affect on public schools. The association held a protest in support of public schools across the street before the event.

"We just think that it’s not right to be taking the scarce resources that we already have … and looking to spend them elsewhere," Meredith said. "Something has to be cut from (public school student's) education in order to fund a small percentage of children."

Call IndyStar reporter Emma Kate Fittes at (317) 513-7854. Follow her on Twitter: @IndyEmmaKate.

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