Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush released his education plan Monday, saying the plan would cut the federal Department of Education in half and improve American education.
“The American Dream — the idea that anything is possible through hard work — is threatened by an education system failing to prepare the next generation of children for success,” the plan says. “Choice, innovation and transparency have transformed practically every part of our lives, and yet our schools remain artifacts of another century.”
The Bush education plan focuses on four pillars: lifelong education, early childhood education, K-12 reform and transforming postsecondary education.
The K-12 reform pillar has several school choice components, like expanding federal support for public charter schools, strengthening Washington, D.C.’s voucher program and letting states make federal funds portable to a child’s school of choice, if states choose. “Choice fuels innovation and competition in the education market, resulting in a greater diversity of options for students and teachers, and ultimately, better results,” the plan says.
Bush says he would convert 529 plans, a form of college savings account, into full-blown education savings accounts that can be used on a wide range of education expenses, including “pre-K, elementary school, high school, college, job training, tutoring, summer school or online classes, etc.” Bush would make it tax-deductible to contribute to the accounts if the designated child is in a low-income family.
For preschool, Bush would let states give education funding directly to parents to choose the type of care that’s best for them, rather than expanding government-run preschool programs.
Much of the plan is characterized by federalism — the federal government would give states the option to participate in programs, but not require it. Blue states could say no, while red states could say yes.
Although most of the plan is about freedom for families and flexibility for state governments, Bush would add a greater burden on states in one area: transparency. “Rather than allowing states to bury information in warehouses or state websites,” the plan says, “Gov. Bush would require states to ensure every citizen, parent and teacher receives a complete, useful and timely picture of student achievement, system progress and finances in their schools, while safeguarding student privacy.”
Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
