Thread by @TrueMattEdwards

Investigating the ultimate Education Freedom plan that will increase per pupil spending & decrease class sizes. 2 things that should satisfy union & @reclaimID desires if they are truly honest about who they serve. #IDLeg #IDPol #IDEdu

Time for…
A Thread 🧵

Much attention has been directed at what the 67th Idaho legislature will be doing with the "historic" increases in state education funding that have been passed over the past several years, including the special session in Sept of this year.

But the biggest news in education funding and freedom in this country happened earlier this year down in Arizona. With AZ's proven success, Idaho can bypass the trial period and implement a similar program for all Idaho families. the74million.org/article/arizon…

Warning: simple math ahead
I am going to break down the basic framework of how this plan works. This is a simplified explanation of an education funding plan that can be implemented if legislators are willing to work, build upon the success in AZ and collaborate with innovators

First let's look at what Idaho spends per student in our state funded schools outside of the fixed costs of facilities and such, which should have their own fund.

The average dollar amount spent per student in Idaho is currently listed as $9,251. publicschoolreview.com/average-spendi…

For the sake of the exercise, let's round that number up to $10,000. Which is perfectly allowable because the actual number is just an average, so there are some districts in Idaho that spend 10k or more per student. Honestly, it doesn't matter what the current number is.

Now, let's look at 10 students who attend an Idaho funded school.

At $10,000 per student per year this gives us a total of $100,000 that follows those students into that Idaho school for the year. Make sense?

Now let’s imagine two of those students have parents who wish to remove their children from this Idaho school.

One goes into a private school and the other does school from home.

The Idaho school now has $80,000 to spend for 8 students, still at $10,000 per student.

Here it comes: Each non-Idaho-School family would receive 80% of the $10,000 intended for that student’s education that year.

In dollars, that is $8000 for each family to use in educating their child for the year in a private school, homeschool, co-op, etc.

The remaining 20% ($2000 per) that the families do not get for each student REMAINS in the Idaho run school.

So let’s look at how all this shakes out, you may be surprised. It’s almost as if it's just good ol' fashioned math.

If 8 students remain in the Idaho school, that's $80,000 following them ($10,000ea)

But now there is also $4000 left over from the 2 unenrolled students

Which means there is actually $84,000 to spend on those remaining 8 students in the Idaho school

That’s $10,500 per student

Here’s what should really excite the unions & @reclaimID if they truly care about the children.

If 5 of 10 students unenrolled, the per pupil spend in ID schools, still using our example, goes to $12,000 per remaining 5 students. $10,000 into $12,000!
An "Historic" 20% increase

Now, here is where the naysayers really see their nanny-state brains exploding.

The money being returned to parents to follow their child is, largely, unrestricted. Parents know what is best for their child’s education. Period.

Any attempts to insult parents by claiming they would spend their education dollars on frivolous or lavish family expenses is just that, an insult. Don't even try to play that.

I have witnessed firsthand district superintendents twisting intent of Covid Relief funding by paying, e.g. over $100K in ONE MONTH for travel and lodging to send district staff to junkets across the country instead of using the funds to repair schools and increase safety.

So don't even begin with trying to win an argument between "trusting parents with education funding for their OWN children" and "how school districts choose to spend funding."

It will be up to legislators to identify how this framework can be implemented in Idaho by working w/ education leaders & state budget teams. It is time we actually do something that puts Idaho's students and teachers first.
Fund the Student, Decrease Class Size. #IDEdu #IDLeg

As mentioned at the top, an Edu funding system like this was recently implemented in Arizona. Those state-funded schools are seeing increases in per pupil spending, even though many parents are deciding to find alternative eduction for their kids. #IDEdu goldwaterinstitute.org/arizona-legisl…

Let's sum up.
Education Savings Accounts allow:
- Students to not let a zip code force them into failing schools.
- Education dollars to fund the student, not the system.
- An increase in Per-Pupil spending
- A decrease in class sizes
- Education Freedom for Families

Finally, to reiterate, this thread was intended to layout in basic, layman terms what Education Savings Accounts can do to expand education freedom, increase per pupil spending and set Idaho on a path to reverse declining test scores.

It will be up to legislators to identify how this framework can be implemented in Idaho by working w/ education leaders & state budget teams. It is time we actually do something that puts Idaho's students and teachers first.
Fund the Student, Decrease Class Size. #IDEdu #IDLeg

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