Senate Panel Holds Hearing on Literacy and School Choice

On Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Education and the American Family held a hearing, “Choice and Literacy: Empowering Families for Better Educational Results.” Subcommittee Chairman Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) discussed school choice, including private schools and homeschooling, as a solution to poorly performing schools. He also touted state-level initiatives on the science of reading to address poor National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) scores. 

Ranking Member Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D-DE) called for investments in creative innovations rather than turning away from public schools. She challenged the notion of “school choice,” calling it “the school’s choice” because private schools can and do turn away students because of disability, religion, and more. Anne Wicks of the George W. Bush Institute discussed the importance of implementing the science of reading, stressing that education research, teacher preparation, and professional development are key. Tyler Barnett, CEO of New Schools for Alabama, and Ginny Gentles, Director of Education Freedom and Parental Rights at the Defense of Freedom Institute, spoke in support of public charter schools and private school vouchers, respectively. 

Finally, Richard Barrera, Board Vice President of the San Diego Unified School District, discussed the academic successes in his economically and racially diverse school district and called for greater investments in public education, including full funding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). During a question-and-answer session, Blunt-Rochester and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) advocated for IDEA funding and criticized private school vouchers for lacking oversight. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who chairs the full HELP Committee, focused on dyslexia, advocating for better screening and literacy support.

To view the hearing, go here.