Kansas House Speaker, Dan Hawkins, says private school vouchers will be a priority for Republican lawmakers in the upcoming session. Last session, both the House and Senate passed a measure to give qualifying families up to $5,000 in tax money to use for private school or homeschooling, but Democratic Governor, Laura Kelly vetoed it.
Proponents of the so-called “School Choice” bill say it gives families more alternatives to public schools. Critics say it’s an attempt to defund and undermine public schools. Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita, says the right for parents to choose what school they go to will be a huge talking point, and he expects it to pass the House. The Kansas Legislative Session begins January 8th.
