The big surprise in the federal school voucher program | Mary Ellen Klas Oct 21, 2026 6 hrs ago 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Mary Ellen Klas kAm(96E96C @? AFCA@D6 @C 3J 244:56?E[ E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?’D ?6H G@F496C AC@8C2> 4@F=5 5@ D@>6E9:?8 :E ?6G6C AC@>:D65 E@ 5@i 96=A AF3=:4 D49@@=D]k^AmkAmxE’D 2 3:E @7 2 DFCAC:D6 7C@> E96 (9:E6 w@FD6 E92E AC@>:D65 E@ 23@=:D9 E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 t5F42E:@? 2?5 E96? 5:D>2?E=65 =2C86 A2CED @7 :E] qFE F?56C CF=6D C6=62D65 E9:D >@?E9 3J E96 &]$] %C62DFCJ s6A2CE>6?E[ E96 AC@8C2> 2FE9@C:K:?8 E96 7:CDE u656C2= $49@=2CD9:A %2I rC65:E 2==@HD <:5D E@ C646:G6 2 G@F496C 6G6? :7 E96J DE2J :? E96:C AF3=:4 D49@@=]k^AmkAm%92E’D 2? :>A@CE2?E 5:DE:?4E:@? 7C@> DE2E6\=6G6= AC@8C2>D] p5G@42E6D AC2:D6 G@F496C AC@8C2>D 2D E96 6A:E@>6 @7 “65F42E:@? 7C665@>” 3642FD6[ E96J D2J[ :E 6>A@H6CD A2C6?ED E@ 49@@D6 E96 36DE 65F42E:@? 7@C E96:C 49:=5C6?] qFE E96 H2J G@F496CD 92G6 366? :>A=6>6?E65 2E E96 DE2E6 =6G6= 5C2:?D C6D@FC46D 7C@> AF3=:4 D49@@=D 2?5 AC:>2C:=J DF3D:5:K6D 49@:46D E92E 72>:=:6D 92G6 2=C625J >256 E@ D6?5 E96:C <:5D E@ AC:G2E6 D49@@=D]k^Am People are also reading… Lexington City Council ratifies purchase of real estate from Tyson Foods Sheltering Hands receives $20,000 grant to combat domestic violence Homecoming battle: Lexington pulls off 34-33 thriller over Beatrice Bringing pride back: Lexington boys tennis brings home Class B runner-up for first time in 23 years UNMC College of Nursing to sign MOUs on Oct. 20, creating nursing pathways for Kearney, Lexington students 'Out of rhythm': No. 1 Nebraska loses a set — but not its stride — in win over Purdue VOLLEYBALL: Gothenburg knocks off Minden in 5 sets, faces Ogallala in SWC championship Tuesday Sheltering Hands discusses signs of domestic violence at Coffee and Chat Lexington Regional Health Center leaders graduate from NHA Leadership Institute Oregon, LSU lead college football's 10 biggest disappointments from first half VOLLEYBALL: Mroczek leads Gothenburg in sweep of Lexington on senior night McKewon: Nebraska’s ‘fatigue,’ Dylan Raiola’s dagger latest chapter in painful Husker decade VOLLEYBALL RECAP Ramirez, Portillo-Munoz claim district cross country runner-up titles, Lexington teams qualify for state Emersyn Propp’s 13 kills leads Cozad to fifth in Southwest Conference tournament kAm%96 7656C2= AC@8C2> :D 2? 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AC@76DD@C H9@ DA6?E EH@ 564256D C6D62C49:?8 G@F496C AC@8C2>D] w6 2C8F6D E92E DE2E6 G@F496C AC@8C2>D 2C6 2 52?86C E@ p>6C:42? 65F42E:@? 3642FD6 E96J “D6G6C6=J 9:?56C 24256>:4 8C@HE9 — 6DA64:2==J 7@C GF=?6C23=6 <:5D” 2?5 D:A9@? C6D@FC46D 7C@> AF3=:4 D49@@=D E@ AC:G2E6 @?6D]k^AmkAmqFE r@H6? D2:5[ 3642FD6 E96 ?6H A=2? 5@6D?’E 5@ E92E[ “x ;FDE 42?’E :? 8@@5 72:E9 D2J E9:D :D 8@:?8 E@ 567F?5 AF3=:4 D49@@=D E96 H2J DE2E6 A=2?D 5@]”k^Am kAm%92E 4@F=5 6IA=2:? H9J b` DE2E6D — 4@G6C:?8 dhT @7 E96 ?2E:@?’D AF3=:4 D49@@= A@AF=2E:@? — 92G6 564:565 E@ 2446AE E96 7656C2= G@F496CD[ :?4=F5:?8 s6>@4C2E\=65 DE2E6D }6H *@C< 2?5 r@=@C25@]k^Am kAm%96 C6>2:?:?8 `h 9@=5@FED 2C6 2== =65 3J s6>@4C2ED 2?5[ 7@C E96>[ :E’D 2 E@F89 42==] |@DE @7 E9@D6 8@G6C?@CD @AA@D6 G@F496C AC@8C2>D 2?5 5@?’E H2?E E@ D66 E96 7656C2= AC@8C2> DF44665[ 3FE :7 E96J EFC? 5@H? E96 7656C2= >@?6J 7@C AC:G2E6 D49@@=D[ E96J 2=D@ =@D6 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 36EE6C 7F?5 E96:C AF3=:4 D49@@=D]k^Am kAmp?5 E96 AC@8C2> 5@6D 92G6 D@>6 >2;@C 7=2HD] %96 7656C2= G@F496CD H:== DF3D:5:K6 AC:G2E6 D49@@= EF:E:@? 2?5 DE66C E2IA2J6C >@?6J E@ C6=:8:@FD D49@@=D H9:=6 D6EE:?8 ?@ DE2?52C5D 7@C 24256>:4 A6C7@C>2?46 @C EC62E:?8 2== <:5D 72:C=J]k^Am Kindergarten students participate in a lesson at Lighthouse Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, which accepts vouchers. JOHN HART, WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL kAm%96 3:886DE 36?67:4:2C:6D 2C6 =:<6=J E@ 36 72>:=:6D E92E 92G6 2=C625J 49@D6? E@ D6?5 E96:C <:5D E@ AC:G2E6 D49@@=D[ 2D :D 2=C625J E96 42D6 :? DE2E6D H:E9 F?:G6CD2= G@F496C AC@8C2>D] x? u=@C:52[ ehT @7 E96 ?6H G@F496C DEF56?ED 925 2=C625J 366? 6?C@==65 :? 2 AC:G2E6 D49@@=] x? }6H w2>AD9:C6[ E92E E@E2= H2D ghTj :? (:D4@?D:?[ ffTj :? pC:K@?2[ g_Tj 2?5 :? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2[ gfT]k^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmy@? '2=2?E[ 5:C64E@C @7 E96 qC@H? r6?E6C @? t5F42E:@? !@=:4J 2E E96 qC@@<:?8D x?DE:EFE6[ 2?5 9:D 4@==628F6D C646?E=J 2?2=JK65 E96 A@E6?E:2= 5@?@C DEC62> 7@C E96 7656C2= AC@8C2> 2?5 4@?4=F565 :E H:== C6:?7@C46 E96 D2>6 A2EE6C?] q642FD6 E96 E2I 4C65:ED H:== 36 FD65 “5:DAC@A@CE:@?2E6=J 3J H62=E9J :?5:G:5F2=D :? H62=E9J 4@>>F?:E:6D[” E96 AC@8C2> :D >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 364@>6 2 36?67:E “7@C C:49 <:5D E92? 2 D@FC46 @7 C65:DEC:3FE:G6[ 492C:E23=6 8:G:?8[” 96 HC@E6]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm(92E’D >@C6[ E96 7656C2= G@F496C CF=6D 4@F=5 6I246C32E6 E96 :?4@>6 :?6BF:E:6D 2?5 5:D4C:>:?2E:@? D66? :? >2?J DE2E6 G@F496C AC@8C2>D] “$E2E6 =6256CD 92G6 G:CEF2==J ?@ 4@?EC@= @G6C E9:D AC@8C2> 27E6C 564:5:?8 H96E96C E96J H:== A2CE:4:A2E6[” '2=2?E ?@E6D] u@C 6I2>A=6[ DE2E6D 42?’E AC6G6?E E96 D49@=2CD9:A\8C2?E:?8 @C82?:K2E:@?D 7C@> 5:D4C:>:?2E:?8 282:?DE 46CE2:? 4=2DD6D @7 DEF56?ED — E9@D6 H:E9 {vq%" A2C6?ED[ E9@D6 H9@ AC24E:46 46CE2:? C6=:8:@?D @C E9@D6 H:E9 5:D23:=:E:6D]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmr@?8C6DD 5:5 ?@E 2==@42E6 2 DA64:7:4 2AAC@AC:2E:@? E@ A2J 7@C E96 AC@8C2>[ H9:49 H2D EF4<65 :? E@ E96 D@\42==65 q:8 q62FE:7F= q:== =2DE J62C] %96 5C@A :? E2I C6G6?F6 H:== 6IA2?5 E96 567:4:E 2?5 4@DE E2IA2J6CD Sad]h 3:==:@? @G6C `_ J62CD[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 y@:?E r@>>:EE66 @? %2I2E:@?] p?5 H9:=6 E96C6 2C6 C6A@CE:?8 C6BF:C6>6?ED 2?5 BF2=:7:42E:@? 4964<D[ ?@ 8F2C5C2:=D >2<6 DFC6 E96 >@?6J :D FD65 H:D6=J]k^Am kAmr@?8C6DD D9@F=5 6:E96C C6>65J E96D6 AC@3=6>D @C C6A=246 E96 6?E:C6 AC@8C2> H:E9 D@>6E9:?8 36EE6C] u@C DE2CE6CD[ E96J 4@F=5 C6BF:C6 DEF56?ED E92E 2446AE 7656C2= G@F496CD :? AC:G2E6 D49@@=D E@ E2<6 E96 D2>6 6I2>D 2D DEF56?ED :? AF3=:4 D49@@=D] %96J 4@F=5 6C64E 7:?2?4:2= 8F2C5C2:=D — E@ AC6G6?E E96 <:?5D @7 G@F496C 7C2F5 E92E’D @44FCC65 :? DE2E6D =:<6 u=@C:52 2?5 pC:K@?2] p?5 E96J 4@F=5 8:G6 DE2E6D E96 23:=:EJ E@ 6?DFC6 E92E E96 7F?5D 8@ E@ DEF56?ED H9@ ?665 E96> >@DE 2?5 AC6G6?E E96> 7C@> 5:D4C:>:?2E:?8 282:?DE 2?J DEF56?E]k^Am kAm}@E9:?8 :D HC@?8 H:E9 D6?5:?8 >@C6 >@?6J E@ DE2E6D 7@C 65F42E:@?[ 3FE :E D9@F=5 4@>6 H:E9 2DDFC2?46D E92E E2IA2J6C >@?6J H:== 36 FD65 E@ 36?67:E 2== DEF56?ED[ ?@E E96 6=:E6 76H]k^Am Klas is a Bloomberg columnist and former capital bureau chief for the Miami Herald. 0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Data center plan provides soid path | Virginian-Pilot Responsible management of data centers and the resources they consume is among the most important and contentious national debates, and no pla…
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