Jeb Bush tells SC House Republicans they need to do this on school choice

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday told South Carolina lawmakers they need to keep pushing to give parents more freedom to choose where their child goes to school.

Bush, who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2016, met with the S.C. House RepublicanCaucus to discuss school choice and share what he describes as success stories in programs around the country.

“In Florida, I had the chance to implement many of the things that y’all are considering right now and it looks pretty good,” Bush told the room of lawmakers. “The world gets better when parents are making more choices, and there’s lessons along the way to make sure it’s done right with accountability.”

Policymakers in both the South Carolina House and Senate have passed several bills this year that they say aims to give parents the freedom in choosing where their child goes to school.

Last week, the House passed H. 3843, a proposal by House education Chairwoman Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, that would allow parents to enroll their children in any public school statewide, regardless of zoning.

In January, the Senate likewise passed two bills advancing school choice. One measure would allow 15,000 students to get $6,000 in state money to cover private school tuition and other costs, including transportation, internet and books.

Another Senate proposal expands a program already in place, called Academic Choice in Education, which provides an income tax credit for those who contribute to a scholarship fund that provides grants for students to attend private schools or to get home school instruction.

On Tuesday, Bush told lawmakers that empowering parents to make choices regarding their child’s education places South Carolina one step closer in achieving education reform.

“All of the arguments that the world is coming to end, and kids that can’t learn are going to be left behind ... the exact opposite has happened in Florida,” Bush said. “Public schools are better because parents can choose private schools.”

Although school choice has been around for nearly 150 years, Wisconsin became the first state to adopt such a program in 1991, offering private school vouchers to lower-income students.

For decades, red states like South Carolina have been resistant to school choice or voucher programs, arguing that public money shouldn’t go to private schools without any accountability.

Last year, the House and Senate, energized by a wave of frustration over pandemic-era education policies, passed companion bills to establish a scholarship fund that select parents could tap for their children’s educational expenses, including private school tuition. But because of timing — they were brought up on the last day of session at the end of the day _ the measures died

Fifteen states, including Florida, currently offer some sort of school voucher program. Five of these voucher programs are limited to special needs students only.

Advocates, however, expect to see the number of voucher states to increase as more school choice legislation is passed.

Critics of school choice have routinely argued that such programs are unfair as they pull money away from public education and also creates an opportunity for overcrowding at premier schools.

Bush, who currently serves as chairman of the board of directors for ExcelinEd — a nonprofit organization that claims to transform education by working with state leaders to enhance opportunities for children — told lawmakers not to be afraid to go against the status quo.

As governor “I learned that there are great teachers stuck in bad systems all across the state of Florida, I’m sure it’s the same (in South Carolina),” Bush said.

“I hope that you guys stay the course and pass meaningful legislation,” Bush said.