Bill from Rep. Eric Burlison aims to bolster school choice policies
U.S. House Rep. Eric Burlison introduced legislation, the Achieving Choice in Education Act, aimed at opening up options for states to implement school choice policies.
“Across the country, and especially in Southwest Missouri, school choice is already benefiting many of our nation's young children,” Burlison said.
Burlison hopes to accomplish this by changing the definition of “qualified higher education expenses” as it pertains to 529 education savings accounts. By doing so, funds in these accounts could be used for “tuition, books, curriculum materials, online education resources, tutoring fees, standardized tests, dual enrollment in higher education, and private and homeschool expenses.”
“Through 529 education saving accounts, families are freed from the arbitrary link between where they live and which school their child can attend,” Burlison said.
His legislation would double the contribution limit on K-12 expenses with 529 accounts. Currently, that limit is $10,000 a year, but Burlison's bill would increase that to $20,000 annually. Additionally, contributions up to $20,000 would be excluded from gift tax calculations in order to meet the new withdrawal limit.
“School choice makes institutions of education more accountable and responsive to families,” Burlison said. “This leads to higher graduation rates and increases parental satisfaction and involvement while saving taxpayer dollars.”
Burlison hopes that his bill will offer incentives to states looking to pass school choice policies. His bill, if passed, would enact a “2-tier system impacting the tax-exemption status of municipal bonds.”
The Missouri General Assembly has been discussing the implementation of school choice options in the state for the past few years, with more legislation filed for 2024 seeking to do the same.
Under 2023's proposed legislation, which passed the Missouri House but failed to make it through the state Senate, public school districts could have opted in for school choice, allowing transfer students from other school districts. It would have capped this kind of enrollment at 3% of the student population.
Supporters of this legislation said that it would breed healthy competition among school districts to attract talented students. Those in opposition said that it would overburden some school districts, while leaving others with fewer resources and students.
In rural school districts, this could force consolidation to pool resources and students. Other critics raised concerns about students with disabilities, who either transfer to districts without established programs to meet their needs, or are left in districts without enough resources to continue providing the education they require.
It is an issue that is sure to be revived in the 2024 legislature, as Sedalia Republican Rep. Brad Pollitt, who sponsored similar legislation in 2023, has again filed a bill aiming to allow open enrollment in Missouri public schools.