The country’s most ambitious school choice program has been put on hold and potentially stopped permanently after a Nevada judge ordered the state to halt its implementation, just weeks before it was set to begin.
In 2015, Brian Sandoval signed the ambitious law that allows any parent with a child who spent at least 100 days in public school claim $5,000 in state funds per year to create an education savings account (ESA). These ESAs can be spent to opt-out of public schools and instead pay for private schooling, tutoring, or other educational options for their child.
A group of parents challenged the program, who claiming it is unconstitutional and illegally diverts funding away from the state’s public schools. They also argue the program disproportionately benefits wealthier families, since the $5,000 isn’t enough to pay the entire tuition cost of most private schools.
