Educate Nevada Now is a pro-student, pro-public school organization funded by the Rogers Foundation.
It released its positions—support or oppose—on bills under consideration by the state legislature.
Its statement about vouchers is clear and strong:
Expanding Private School Vouchers
ENN opposes any bill that seeks to expand controversial private school vouchers. These schemes go by various names, “Choice Scholarships,” “Opportunity Scholarships” or “Education Savings Accounts.” Regardless of their name, voucher measures rely on taxpayer dollars but have little to no accountability, and they permit schools to discriminate for almost any reason (religion or lack thereof, LGBTQ status, inability to pay, student needs or outcomes). In other states that closely track student outcomes, voucher students often perform the same or worse than their public school peers. We OPPOSE any effort to expand access or spend taxpayer funds on these harmful programs because public dollars should go to public schools.
We urge you to speak up and OPPOSE:
AB 385 – (Assem. Hafen) Allocates $60 million to private school vouchers and expands eligibility.
SB 200 – (Sen. Hammond) Re-enacts a recently repealed universal voucher program, which would eventually result in every private school student eligible for taxpayer dollars, even the wealthiest.
SB 220 (Sen. Gansert, et al) Expanding funding and eligibility for private school vouchers, expanding the tax credit sources.
About Educate Nevada Now
The Rogers Foundation, a Nevada leader in support of public education, joined with local, state and national partners to launch Educate Nevada Now (ENN) in 2015. The organization is committed to school finance reform and improved educational opportunities and outcomes for all Nevada public school children, especially English language learners, gifted and talented students, students with disabilities or other special needs, and low-income students.
More information about ENN can be found at www.educatenevadanow.com
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Sen. Hammond is anti-abortion, claims he “lives it.”
Media reported that a flyer against Sen. Gansert was sent by Pro-Choice America (NARAL) to Nevadians. The flyer said, “Sen Gansert voted to criminalize women for accessing basic reproductive healthcare…She even supported laws that would send women to prison for ending a pregnancy.”
Sen. Gansert’s quote in reply, indicated that that characterization of her vote did not reflect her intent.
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Yes, vouchers are “bad,” for sure, IF you support good public schools for all. But many voucher supporters do not. They may support schools that support their right-wing or religious views, but not the kind of schools that help kids learn to think for themselves.
But vouchers may be very useful in destroying public–read “government” schools, which they voucher supporters often equate with “socialist” schools.
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At its site, the ACLU posted an analysis of Nevada vouchers, “Discrimination Allowed.” The examples cited are Catholic and Christian schools. The Catholic school identified prioritizes Catholic students in admission and offers discounts for parishioners. A school rule about abortion and dismissal is cited.
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