Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this bill to expand the failed private school voucher program in Washington, D.C. In this time of budget strife and cutbacks for public school districts all across the country, this is the wrong time to take Federal money away from public schools and give it to private schools.

When I evaluate education or any other policy, I want to see the research on what works. Despite claims that the D.C. voucher system would improve academic achievement of D.C. students, multiple congressionally mandated Department of Education studies have concluded that the program has not improved these students' academic achievement in reading or math.

Further, the studies found the voucher program to have had no effect on student satisfaction, engagement, motivation, or students' feelings of security. The studies found no significant impact on students' career aspirations, participation in extracurricular activities, homework completion, reading for fun, or tardiness. Students with special education needs, English language learners, and gifted students in the voucher program were less likely to have access to key services than their peers in public school.

Despite receiving public money under the D.C. voucher program, these private schools do not take all students. In addition, teachers at these private schools are not subject to the same certification requirements as those in D.C. public schools.

This bill also makes an exception to the majority's own budget rules, which require that all legislation proposing new funding must slash funding from somewhere else. This bill adds $300 million to the deficit without any such offset. These kinds of exceptions make a mockery of their own rules, particularly when there is little evidence to support the underlying bill, itself.

I understand that many voucher supporters are disappointed with the quality of our public schools. This says to me that there is common ground for Members from both sides of the aisle to improve our public schools. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

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