Not all Republicans support Trump’s push for ‘school choice’

Tyler Hansford, superintendent of schools in Union, Mississippi, is a three-time Trump voter who disagrees with the president on using public funds for private schools. He is concerned that such programs may not provide adequate transportation or special education services for families in rural areas like his. Despite Trump’s executive order supporting private school funding, some Republicans in states like Mississippi and South Dakota have not advanced bills supporting this initiative. This has created a divide within the party between those who support giving parents more control over education and those who prioritize local control and fiscal responsibility. Trump’s push for school choice has become a litmus test within the party, with politicians facing primaries if they oppose such measures. In Texas, several Republicans were ousted in primaries last year for rejecting voucher bills, and now a bill is in progress to provide families with $10,000 for private school tuition. In Idaho, lawmakers have faced electoral challenges for opposing vouchers, leading some to compromise. However, in South Dakota, school choice bills have failed due to concerns about funding private schools at the expense of public education. In Mississippi, a proposal to provide state-funded scholarships for students from struggling districts to attend private schools was not acted upon, with local school officials influencing the decision. Overall, the debate over school choice highlights the tension between national policies and local control within the Republican Party.

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