By Victor Skinner
EAGnews.org
    
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio wants to take school choice national.
   
The Florida Republican introduced legislation Wednesday to create a federal private school voucher program, which would be funded by non-profit Scholarship Granting Organizations. Those organizations would in turn be funded by tax-deductible contributions from corporations and individuals.
    
“Education plays a central role in the 21st century knowledge economy,” Rubio said. “If we want our children to thrive economically, we need to equip students and families with the tools they need to succeed and make it in the middle class and beyond.
    
“School choice is a critical piece in this, which is why I introduced the Education Opportunities Act. This bill will incentivize investment in students and empower parents and K-12 students by allowing more educational opportunities, especially in low-income households that would otherwise not be able to afford it.
    
“It’s the kind of incentive that will help improve education in America and prepare our children for the jobs of tomorrow, without additional burdens on the American taxpayer,” Rubio said.
    
Rubio’s Education Opportunities Act appears to be an excellent way to expand educational opportunities for American families, particularly those who need the help the most. We believe it could go a long way toward ensuring that all students – rich, poor, white or minority – have an equal opportunity for a quality education and a bright future.
    
Currently, millions of students across the nation are forced to attend the government school they’re assigned to because they simply cannot afford other options. Rubio’s legislation has the power to greatly change that dynamic.
    
While there’s no doubt the nation’s largest teachers unions will fiercely oppose Rubio’s plan – and President Obama will probably follow their lead – many education reformers and school choice advocates are already praising the legislation.
    
“Choosing your child’s school is as fundamental as choosing which doctor’s office is best for your child and this legislation will help make that choice affordable for more parents,” Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was quoted as saying in Rubio’s release.
    
“The Educational Opportunities Act proposed by Senator Marco Rubio has the potential to allow tens of thousands of children across this country to access an education that would otherwise be unavailable to them,” said Kenneth Campbell, president of Black Alliance For Educational Options.
    
“We applaud the Senator for taking this bold step and we are hopeful that our nation’s elected officials will see this bill as an opportunity to help our most vulnerable children and not allow partisan politics or ideologies to prohibit this bill from moving forward.”