State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan uses Lego bricks to show the comparison of state funding used for a school-choice scholarship program (in the container she’s holding up) compared with public education funding (shown in the larger, overflowing container). SENATOR LINEHAN’S OFFICE

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Senators respond to claims made in ad opposing private-school scholarships for students in need

Twenty state senators stood together on Monday to refute a political ad they say is filled with misinformation about a state-funded scholarship program for students in need.

The ad promotes Referendum Measure 435, which seeks to remove the funding and scholarship provision of the Scholarship Act, also known as LB 1402.

LB 1402 was passed by the Legislature this year and offers $10 million a year in state funding for the scholarships, which would help provide a private-school education to students from low-income or military families, those in foster care or those who have been bullied.

The scholarship funding in no way detracts from state funding for public education, Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn said in a press release on Monday, Oct. 28. In fact, she said, “the opposite is true: the state has drastically increased funding for education across the board.”

Linehan, who has been the main backer of the scholarship program, organized a press conference earlier in the day, where she and 14 other senators refuted the claims made in the ad. Another five senators stood in support of their fellow senators.

“To say that somehow, we voted to harm our schools, take money away from public schools, that teachers’ salaries will go down when none of that is true; it’s not even close. There’s no truth to it,” Linehan told the Norfolk radio program News Talk WJAG.

Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Legislature’s budget-writing Appropriations Committee, pointed out at the press conference that the Legislature appropriated $1 billion for the Education Future Fund in 2023, with the intent of adding $250 million annually in subsequent years.

Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue spoke about an additional $1,500 in state foundation aid for every student and a 100% increase in state funding for special education.

Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, chair of the Legislature’s Education Committee, said lawmakers established numerous teacher-retention incentives in recent years, including $5,000 grants for new teachers for each of their first five years teaching and $2 million a year to train teachers to promote reading improvement.

Those facts “thoroughly refute and discredit claims made by the Support Our Schools campaign that funding scholarships to allow Nebraska children to take advantage of educational opportunities at private schools in any way detracts from state funding for public education,” said Linehan, chair of the Legislature’s Revenue Committee.

LB 1402 will not lead to higher property taxes, she said, and will promote “educational opportunities for all Nebraskans regardless of geography.”

Earlier this year, Murman tried to clear up many of the misconceptions that opponents brought up.

Those who oppose school choice have stooped to the levels to claim that this bill subverts democracy, defunds public schools, and is even unconstitutional. None of these claims are true,” he wrote.

The cost of the scholarship program is minuscule, a fraction of a percentage point, compared with the state’s total education spending, Murman has pointed out.  Linehan made that contrast visual on Monday, using Lego bricks to show the spending disparity.

“Compared to most school choice programs across the country, LB 1402 is amongst the humblest and most meager in the nation,” Murman has said.

Besides Clements, Sanders and Murman, senators speaking on behalf of LB 1402 included Justin Wayne of Omaha, Mike Jacobson of North Platte, Mike Moser of Columbus, Julie Slama of Dunbar, Fred Meyer of St. Paul, Joni Albrecht of Thurston, Brian Hardin of Scottsbluff, Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, John Arch of La Vista and John Lowe of Kearney.

Sens. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island, Beau Ballard of Lincoln, Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, Loren Lippincott of Central City and Merv Riepe of Ralston also were present.

The senators urged Nebraskans to vote RETAIN on ballot measure 435.

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