By Greg Rosalsky
(From Huffington Post, June 18th 2012)
The Obama administration softened its position on Monday about not expanding the District of Columbia’s private school voucher program, after months of attacks by conservatives of the president’s decision to provide level funding to the program next year. Instead the administration agreed to finance slots for 85 additional students.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan released a statement late Monday, citing an agreement that the Obama administration had reached “in partnership with Speaker [John] Boehner,” to increase the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program “from the current enrollment of about 1615 to approximately 1700 students.”
This would “allow for a statistically valid evaluation of the program, as directed by Congress,” Duncan said. “The President and I are committed to ensuring that the education of the children currently in the DC Opportunity Scholarship program is not disrupted.” He added, however, “We remain convinced that our time and resources are best spent on reforming the public school system to benefit all Students and we look forward to working with Congress in a bipartisan manner to advance that goal.”
Earlier on Monday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) announced their agreement with the Department of Education indicating that an increased number of students would be allowed to participate.
Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill that would provide $13.5 million for the District of Columbia voucher program. The House Appropriations Committee is expected to consider and pass its version of the spending bill on Wednesday, according to Congressional Quarterly.
As of Monday afternoon, the exact details of the agreement between the administration and Boehner and Lieberman were unclear.
Today’s announcement amounts to yet another change in the Obama administration’s stance toward the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, established in 2004 and granting vouchers to low-income students in the nation’s capital so they can attend private schools.
Earlier in his career, Obama had demonstrated an openness to vouchers. As a presidential candidate, Obama told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, “If there was any argument for vouchers, it was ‘Alright, let’s see if this experiment works,’ and if it does, then whatever my preconceptions, my attitude is you do what works for the kids.” He added, “I will not allow my predispositions to stand in the way of making sure that our kids can learn. We’re losing several generations of kids and something has to be done.”
But in March 2011, the Obama administration took a position opposing the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act, or SOAR Act, authored by Boehner and Lieberman to reauthorize the D.C. voucher program and provide additional funds. “The Administration strongly opposes expanding the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program and opening it to new students,” the White House statement declared.