Betsy DeVos-founded group lobbies Congress for D.C. voucher program extension

[jpak]

Source: Washington Post

The American Federation for Children is a 501(c)(4) lobbying and advocacy group founded by the billionaire family of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. It calls itself “the nation’s leading school choice organization,” and, according to its website, is affiliated with the American Federation for Children Action Fund, a political committee that supports and opposes state-level candidates for elected office. It also works with the American Federation for Children Growth Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, “to promote the benefits of — and the need for — school choice, make parents aware of their options, mobilize grassroots supports and ensure private-school-choice-laws work for students.” (See below for the difference between groups designated 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4).)

DeVos was chairman of the tax-exempt 501(c)(4) lobbying group for years until she was nominated late last year to be education secretary by President-elect Donald Trump, at which time, the organization noted in a statement about her successor, Bill Oberndorf:

Under Betsy’s visionary leadership, AFC has more than doubled the number of children and families we serve through educational choice programs. While we regret that Betsy will have to step down as AFC’s chairman due to her nomination to be the next secretary of education, we are incredibly excited about the impact she can now have by leading the fight at the federal level to expand education opportunities across the entire country. We also know that under Bill’s leadership, AFC will continue to have a lasting impact on education in America.

The American Federation for Children has long lobbied for choice programs, and, now that DeVos is education secretary, continues to do so. It has been lobbying Congress and state legislatures this year to push for more school choice programs, specifically for an extension of the only federally funded school voucher program in the country, the one in Washington.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/05/02/betsy-devos-founded-group-lobbies-congress-for-d-c-voucher-program-extension/?utm_term=.73266d2168ee

[George II]

1. That has to be unethical, if not illegal.

[Doreen]

2. OK, my ability to comprehend is not that good when

it comes to complex reports like this. Please explain to me in simple idiot language how this voucher program works. From what I understand is the more money you have the more you get for a voucher. You can go to any type of school you want until your voucher runs out so if you want to go to a not very good school your chances of completing it will be better than going to a good school. Voucher only pay for some of the school related stuff and you have to come up with the rest. Please explain if I am right, wrong, kind of got it but there is something else.

[ScubaSteve]

4. Vouchers Skim Money for Public Schools

Voucher money comes from the State based on what they spend on average/per student sent to a Public School, not based on income of parents or affluent neighborhood. Low income parents use them to get their child into a more affluent school that is normally out of their district.

Vouchers can be used at any type of school; private or religious and DeVoss is all about Religious and Charter schools.

These federally funded Vouchers are heavily used to send kids to Charter Schools who operate independently of the established public school system in which it is located, and do not have to abide by State regulations for their curriculum. They can and do receive private funding as well that does not have to be reported even through the Freedom of Information Act. They write their own charter and as long as they follow their charter they are allowed to remain open.

My wife was heavily involved in our public school system as our kids were going through and found that other kids who were basically flunking out had parents who would then send them to a nearby charter school. Suddenly they were pulling As and Bs of course with classes like “basket weaving” and “dance” made it much easier and the parents raved how great their kids were doing.

Until of course these schools don’t pull in enough students to muster enough State money to operate the building and pay the much less accredited staff and they close up shop leaving the students holding the bag. They open and close regularly.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/02/28/separating-fact-from-fiction-in-21-claims-about-charter-schools/?utm_term=.9ddf4b1f63c1

[turbinetree]

3. Some of the "Devos (Devious) Record ................................

http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/quid-pro-quo-betsy-devos

http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/devos-continues-attack-education-student

http://crooksandliars.com/2017/03/devos-moves-give-control-education-koch


http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/devos-pick-head-civil-rights-office-once


http://crooksandliars.com/2017/03/devos-sneaks-religion-public-schools


http://crooksandliars.com/2017/03/school-choice-charter-groups-trying-buy