[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6310528,"mediaKeyId","2400825-8f5bf18a87d83ac2fcaf9a80caa9c24a","parentId",2400825,"title","Vouchers, ESAs and block grants spark partisan debate over accountability and equity","audioSeconds",1970,"startMs",4933000,"endMs",6903000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2400825-8f5bf18a87d83ac2fcaf9a80caa9c24a&start=4933&end=6903","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2400825-8f5bf18a87d83ac2fcaf9a80caa9c24a/thumbnail_4933000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6310528/Vouchers-ESAs-and-block-grants-spark-partisan-debate-over-accountability-and-equity","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310528-80479e991a50edef4a6b20670429ca7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771064986&Signature=XPddXz7F5AEiVYfpEtZiAXZ3YjEQZj9~ti3rsigldZxZzr75KEE~0bdeHcShroAd5DdxejksEaRi2-snsyFf-imEjG5FdlfZ6dWySBw7XYZ-xYjP8BKU8RZNrSCLpAUyPvCL03DFjwgIcdh0VO2hy8sP5q6JYygfxKEhs8OAL4pnDhWJUa-lDyVWEu-jeYkad2pStA2lo1MCWlFt9nxsb7KIbAzZkD-NGdMPfiJZqkvM~nAkQ8EP~4YeXFYpqIjlUwfwt91h-yx95URtb71A9a328yEKF9OGJMYyFCD~lfxcAXyr-kFFKmMXx9Da6CmjINaGXq1FF1gQ-8SlkoL7vA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Appropriations","date","2025-02-13T22:37:40Z","article","The hearing featured an extensive exchange over school choice options — vouchers, education savings accounts (ESAs), and block grants — and whether those approaches improve achievement, shift resources, or reduce federal oversight.

Lindsey Burke and several Republican members advocated for redirecting federal funds and increasing portable funding options. Burke said the federal role should be limited and proposed moving certain federal programs into state control or into more parent‑directed mechanisms. Representative Moore described West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship program as a successful example that provided family choice in a low‑income state.

Robert Kim warned that vouchers and broad portability often remove federal accountability and civil‑rights protections. “Vouchers…transfer those monies. They’re actually overwhelming for state legislatures,” Kim testified, adding that private options frequently fall outside the same civil‑rights and accountability frameworks that apply to public schools.

Witnesses and members also debated empirical evidence. Ranking Member DeLauro and Robert Kim cited research showing positive effects of Title I and targeted federal investments; other witnesses and members cited studies and historical analyses they said show spending increases without commensurate achievement gains. Panelists agreed that implementation—state rules, accountability, and oversight—shapes outcomes.

Members raised concerns about distributional outcomes in voucher programs. Robert Kim and Representative Pocan cited studies showing many voucher recipients already attended private schools and that large-scale programs in some states have shifted public dollars without improving equity. Proponents highlighted choice pilots and state‑level examples intended to expand options for low‑income families.

No legislation was passed at the hearing; members signaled continued interest in portability, ESAs for specific populations (for example, military families), and further examination of accountability frameworks if federal funds are directed outside the traditional public‑school system.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hearing – Federal Investments in Elementary Education","oneSentenceSummary","Members and witnesses debated whether expanding school choice—through vouchers, education savings accounts (ESAs) or block grants—would improve student outcomes or erode accountability and public education funding for high‑need students.","taxTitle","Appropriations: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1832,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6310533,"Charter advocates tell subcommittee federal Charter Schools Program helps startups but cannot substitute for state policy",2371,2580000,4951000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2400825-8f5bf18a87d83ac2fcaf9a80caa9c24a&start=2580&end=4951","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2400825-8f5bf18a87d83ac2fcaf9a80caa9c24a/thumbnail_2580000.jpg","/articles/6310533/Charter-advocates-tell-subcommittee-federal-Charter-Schools-Program-helps-startups-but-cannot-substitute-for-state-policy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310533-67ec2bda72c1e1df61e909c8fefec8d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771064986&Signature=cA0LQBODsu8-th4kLitYlB5pVkYYfgzuDBQYjnAAwhcZRNRTrM1G~EHTS0VTmfcb53C8qqcU6GRv1YNetrIQYhAZOueZqX2EBGA1ZSQRH~aeUGc12gVU99X1q6ndIxuLSK0V4HZOENTRVNtyepaWdH8kaqEiAOWElgkE~Vc2v3whO3b0uK677fjskn3WTgUpz9aVI5HdJ-6uY4soN8kkUTCgdIwL-VWCUD0rkl2DEudeEK7jQCu8ChXPf3jUgML4XiUD4LNHhnFU3IKNBUp3byJlLjzTRkqsbesL574zApqUkVGBGpnMrsLwNzvSEbwSDcv8~1e9G96TY1AFrtBF-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Starley Coleman, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, told the subcommittee that public charter enrollment continues to grow and that the federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) serves as an important catalyst for new charter campuses.

Coleman said the CSP provides startup funding until state funding follows students to campuses and described recent CSP grants that enabled charter development in Idaho, Texas and Alabama, including schools led by retired military leaders and the Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School in Bessemer. “The CSP is the way for you to show parents in all states and communities, red and blue, urban and not, that you are listening and investing federal funds in programs they want and that work,” Coleman said.

Coleman and several members urged more planning‑grant support to ease the cost and administrative burden of opening new charter schools, noting the time and expense required of educators to prepare applications. Representative Lehi highlighted a Northeast Louisiana charter for autistic students that took more than two years of planning and said planning grants would help reduce burdens on educators who want to found new schools.

Witnesses also cautioned that federal funding cannot substitute for sound state and local policy. Coleman said that federal dollars “won't overcome bad policy or practices at the state and local level,” but that federal funding can incentivize reforms and support proven strategies.

No policy was enacted at the hearing; members discussed possible legislative changes to the CSP and support for planning grants during appropriations and authorization deliberations.","The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, represented by Starley Coleman, urged continued federal support through the Charter Schools Program for planning and startup costs while warning federal funds alone cannot overcome state or local policy barriers.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6310538,"Witnesses warn block grants or cuts to IDEA could reduce services and accountability for students with disabilities",0,3558000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2400825-8f5bf18a87d83ac2fcaf9a80caa9c24a&start=3558&end=3558","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2400825-8f5bf18a87d83ac2fcaf9a80caa9c24a/thumbnail_3558000.jpg","/articles/6310538/Witnesses-warn-block-grants-or-cuts-to-IDEA-could-reduce-services-and-accountability-for-students-with-disabilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310538-9fb65b00f0d28e9baa600cb32e696ac8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771064986&Signature=RmToUSATdoi6MZKV7QxEjO9pnnqCpbuqKwq~5CI4V680Fk2g6Lhtk8k7GR4vTWOXDCCqzdwKWgQrsTNcrHMmeJ-hWSg1UdHjtqRadCBr~RXuImk6x6dmzRhXO-lthQKZx771P9iKyzt8Fj3EaJ84m16BxfPIQ2KMUqtJ8K54Ur8b30cnmL3QYdYUq2r0TcWI~soSDr7bQVPHKr3UsyMUyXTmQVDgOGarX8Q8VxSS~w26deTCfrRHHPGnZ5jjuMkYHTJsBwXqHBbZQOBkUUy23sLcEqZ6Kkrh6Rh0TD~rfR5TTu7pJn05dSz0t836Tq1XggUiyr5gQcPT8dLsIKLEqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members and witnesses devoted substantial time to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and related civil‑rights enforcement. Robert Kim, executive director of Education Law Center and former deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, said targeted federal funding and federal enforcement are essential to protect students with disabilities and warned of harms from block‑granting or diverting those funds.

Kim described IDEA’s structure and its parts in testimony: “We have part B of the IDEA grant, which is intended to help states in preschool programs provide for special education and related services. We have part C, which really is to support early intervention for our youngest children, infants and toddlers.” He argued that converting targeted programs into block grants would reduce accountability and risk diversion of funds away from specified purposes.

Ranking Member DeLauro and other members pressed witnesses about the longstanding underfunding of IDEA. Kim agreed that Congress has not met the statutory authorized share for IDEA, saying, “We have never met that goal” referring to the authorized 40 percent federal level. Witnesses and members repeatedly cautioned that cuts or structural changes that remove federal oversight could limit parents’ ability to secure services and reduce remedies available through federal enforcement.

Witnesses also discussed practical consequences. Virginia Gentles said many parents currently must use litigation to secure services. Committee members and witnesses noted that reducing federal staff or contracts that enable monitoring and research would impair the department’s ability to evaluate programs and enforce civil rights.

No formal changes to IDEA funding or statutory language were enacted at the hearing; the session documented concerns that appropriation or structural proposals under discussion could reduce services and enforcement responsibility for vulnerable students.","Witness testimony and member questioning focused on risks to students with disabilities if IDEA funding is reduced, converted to block grants, or if federal civil‑rights enforcement is curtailed.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6310541,"House Appropriations subcommittee hearing turns to whether federal K–12 dollars improve outcomes",8191,467000,8658000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2400825-8f5bf18a87d83ac2fcaf9a80caa9c24a&start=467&end=8658","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2400825-8f5bf18a87d83ac2fcaf9a80caa9c24a/thumbnail_467000.jpg","/articles/6310541/House-Appropriations-subcommittee-hearing-turns-to-whether-federal-K12-dollars-improve-outcomes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310541-bd843ddfb88072cf471b4ca81e7fbff0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771064986&Signature=Ia86IMYUHtKioJHRp0C4Vg3E5ebPGgi5IluILeGvzrMvyXjilEsmtATZsS3qVk0s1hNq9hzbQwyiTW4DekVoFhJK4Ge3NppRWryFS-w9Jgk1Hhy0PJNbFewu46WOHZHd0bndDaJdfJ8BJJRqD0o4ue-RoeQtUa6IECbs1HH8XBIpXe-pft2bgHUAqWZuCB-jag-sMlo9kALcqLO62Hq-EZbsc66EqSfNmIW6LEY6H~70fa5lXGwgEFxm2uXNQ63wq98sPRVsopa0P9FGIoGndlS~SgcMgIdpJBqXQ1fikiRfxmJHenSU0isgUyoij1KTzu0g1MYVBUC3zBFpWU9Qwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chairman Aderholt opened a Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Subcommittee hearing saying the panel would examine “the effectiveness of federal K through 12 funding and the importance of school choice.” The chairman warned that repeated increases in federal education spending have not produced better results and said the administration wants to “pause, assess our efforts.”

Ranking Member DeLauro disputed that framing, saying cuts or dismantling of the Department of Education would harm students and that federal research and civil‑rights enforcement are essential. “Elon Musk is taking a wrecking ball to the welfare of children in schools and their ability to learn,” she said, charging that recent contract terminations and proposed policy changes have removed key data and oversight functions.

The hearing brought four outside witnesses: Virginia Gentles of the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies; Lindsey Burke of the Heritage Foundation's Center for Education Policy; Starley Coleman of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools; and Robert Kim of Education Law Center. They provided sharply different diagnoses and prescriptions:

- Virginia Gentles said decades of rising federal spending have failed students and urged state and parental control and school‑choice options. Gentles told the subcommittee that “there is no state in the country where the majority of students are performing at grade level in math and reading,” and criticized federal monitoring and program complexity as burdensome.

- Lindsey Burke summarized long‑term increases in per‑pupil spending and argued that added dollars have largely grown administrative staffing rather than boosted academic performance. Burke cited research she said shows “no strong or systematic relationship between school expenditures and student performance.”

- Starley Coleman highlighted growth in public charter schools and said the federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) is a modest but essential catalyst for new charters, citing CSP grants that have supported startups in Idaho, Texas and Alabama.

- Robert Kim emphasized the federal role in leveling opportunity and enforcing civil rights. Kim warned that converting targeted federal programs into block grants or redirecting funds to private options risks reduced accountability for vulnerable students and weaker enforcement of civil‑rights and special education protections.

Members on both sides stressed children should be the focus. Several Republicans called for more state and parental control, including portable funding through education savings accounts and block grants. Democrats and witnesses who focus on civil rights urged preserving federal oversight and targeted programs such as Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

The hearing featured repeated references to recent and proposed federal actions — including contract cancellations and policy reviews — that witnesses and members said complicate the committee's work. No committee votes occurred at the hearing; members debated policy direction and funding priorities.

The hearing will continue to inform upcoming appropriations work as the committee considers competing proposals about the size, structure and conditions attached to federal K–12 funding.","Witnesses and members of the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee sparred over whether increased federal funding drives better K–12 outcomes, with witnesses and members offering competing evidence on funding effectiveness, the Department of Education's role, and school choice.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Vouchers, ESAs and block grants spark partisan debate over accountability and equity

Charter advocates tell subcommittee federal Charter Schools Program helps startups but cannot substitute for state policy

Witnesses warn block grants or cuts to IDEA could reduce services and accountability for students with disabilities

House Appropriations subcommittee hearing turns to whether federal K–12 dollars improve outcomes