20th District PTA President, Michael Silver, asks that we act to show our disapproval of School Vouchers, which threaten funding for our public schools....
CA State PTA Federal
Legislation Action Alert
June 22, 2003
ACTION ALERT! OPPOSE DC VOUCHER PROGRAM
Please Contact Senator Feinstein Immediately and Urge Her to Oppose Vouchers!
On Thursday, July 24, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee will vote on a
voucher program for students in the District of Columbia. Senator
Dianne Feinstein is THE deciding vote on the Committee.
Yesterday, the Washington Post ran an editorial written by Senator Feinstein
entitled, "Let D.C. Try Vouchers". In the editorial Senator Feinstein indicates
that she is considering voting for the voucher program, but notes that she
continues to hold reservations and has not made a final decision. She notes
that such decisions should be local ones, but fails to mention that the District
of Columbia School Board voted in a resolution to oppose federally imposed
vouchers.
Your calls are crucial in convincing Senator Feinstein to vote against a D.C.
voucher program.
On July 17, the Senate Appropriations Committee met to debate and vote on the
fiscal year 2004 District of Columbia appropriations bill that included $13
million for a D.C. voucher program and authorizing language to create a
program. The Committee membership is split with 14 Democrats and 15
Republicans. Senator Specter (PA) has indicated that he will vote against the
voucher proposal, so if Senator Feinstein votes for it and all other Democrats
vote against it the proposal will pass by ONE VOTE.
On Thursday, July 24, the Senate Appropriations Committee will vote on the D.C.
voucher program.
Several amendments to the appropriations bill have been put forward by Senator
Durbin(D-ILL) which would eliminate the D.C. voucher program. However, if
Senator Feinstein votes in favor of the voucher proposal a new federally funded
voucher program will pass the committee. It is imperative that you call Senator
Feinstein immediately and urge her to oppose the D.C. voucher program and vote
for the Durbin amendments. Senator Feinstein's office is keeping track of the
for/against contacts on these issues.
BACKGROUND
H.R. 2556 "The D.C. Parental Choice Incentive Act of 2003" would create private
school voucher program for low-income D.C. students, particularly those who
attend schools identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring
under NCLB, with a voucher to pay for tuition, fees and transportation to attend
a private or religious school. The bill authorizes $15 million for five years
for a total of $75 million.
Proponents of the program have argued that the funding would come from "extra
taxpayer" money so as not to drain funding from public schools. However, the
House Appropriations Committee voted to shift $10 million from the 2004 FY from
the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations bill to the D.C.
voucher appropriations bill.
Support for a D.C. voucher program will have an impact on your school district
and financial implications for your students and taxpayers, as well as opening
the door for creating vouchers across the country.
ACTION:
Please contact Senator Feinstein immediately with the following messages:
1. Oppose federally funded private school vouchers in the District of Columbia
2. Senator Feinstein should vote for the Durbin amendments to the 2004 District
of Columbia appropriations bill
which eliminate the D.C. voucher program
3. An overwhelming majority of Californians oppose vouchers. In 2000,
California voters rejected a voucher referendum 71%-29%.
4. A D.C. voucher program will drain millions from public education.
Please remind Senator Feinstein of the financial conditions in your school
district, and how the millions of dollars earmarked for private schools in D.C.
should be sent home to California school districts which are financially
struggling with federally underfunded mandates, like the NCLB and IDEA, and an
historic state budget shortfall
5. Vouchers eliminate public accountability. Millions of taxpayer money is
shifted to private schools which are not financially or academically accountable
to the public and are not subject to the NCLB effectively creating a double
standard in federal education funding.
6. P'TA opposes vouchers. Let Senator Feinstein know that PTA opposes vouchers
regardless of the location.
You can reach Senator Feinstein at the following numbers:
Capitol Hill office: 202-224-3841(phone)/202-228-3954(fax)
San Francisco office: 415-393-0707
Fresno office: 559-485-7430
Los Angeles office: 310-914-7300
San Diego office: 619-231-9712