During the school closures caused by the government’s reaction to COVID-19, parents were able to view firsthand the quality and content of their child’s education as it happened. Many walked away disappointed. Parents began searching for viable alternatives to what they were witnessing.
Withdrawal numbers skyrocketed. Homeschooling and so-called “pandemic pods” (now called microschools) increased in popularity. Parents were able to creatively find and provide these educational opportunities, but as things returned to normal, many parents found it difficult to sustain this alternative approach to educating their kids.
Rising inflation, coupled with an already high cost of living and skyrocketing housing prices, put a strain on every family’s budget and limited the educational opportunities of most families.
Libertas Utah leveraged these circumstances to help push for a “school choice” program that would give parents more say in how taxpayer dollars are spent on their child’s education. While we favor removing government (and taxpayers) entirely from the education business, our belief is that if taxes are taken for this purpose, they should be subjected to a competitive market instead of being funneled to a government-run monopoly.
We partnered with Representative Candice Pierucci to create a scholarship program for every child—a universal Education Spending Account. This means that all of Utah’s students qualify to participate in the program. The program will provide for a better fit education for approximately 5,000 students in its first year. Scholarships will be awarded at $8,000 per student.
ESAs are not limited to private school tuition, like a voucher, but allow for a whole host of options like online learning programs, tutoring, microschools, early higher education expenses, and other approved customizable learning services and materials. Parents can mix and match curricula and tutors, experts and experiences, to create a unique education program that is as unique as the student.
With passage of this law, Utah became the fourth state in the country to offer parents these alternative options. The Libertas Institute team now assists other states in furthering education freedom and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship within the K-12 education landscape.