No victory is permanent in politics, especially not against the entrenched power of teachers unions. In the latest demonstration, the National Education Association is dumping money into Nebraska to reverse the state’s modest school choice program.
Nebraska’s Legislature this year created K-12 scholarships worth about $5,000 each with an initial cap of $25 million. Like similar programs in other states, they are funded by individual or corporate donors who receive dollar-for-dollar tax credits for their contributions. Parents can use the money for the school of their choice.
Trigger the union counterattack. In June a group called Support Our Schools Nebraska launched a petition to repeal the scholarships via referendum on the November 2024 ballot. The group has received $800,000 from the National Education Association and $262,000 from the Nebraska affiliate, the Nebraska Examiner reported in early July.
Signatures from 5% of registered voters—more than 60,000—would be enough to put the measure on the ballot. Signatures from 10% could put a stop to the program in the meantime. The group has until the end of August to collect signatures. The scholarship program is scheduled to begin in 2024.
The union says the scholarships will defund district schools. But the Legislature also allocated hundreds of millions of dollars more to public education this year, and districts won’t lose money unless, over time, they lose students.