The Club for Growth is rolling out an extensive TV and print campaign in support of a school choice proposal making its way through the Wyoming legislature, the organization told The Daily Wire.
A new TV ad from the organization urges lawmakers in the State Senate to pass the Wyoming Freedom Scholarship Act, a bill that would allow parents to receive a $7,000 scholarship to help pay for tuition at private schools. The ad, which began playing on statewide political shows on Sunday, will run Monday through Friday on news channels in Cheyenne, the state’s most populous city.
“A child’s future should be shaped by dreams not districts. Their dreams start with choice,” the narrator in the TV spot says. “No red tape, no limits, just the best education for your child. It’s choice, it’s opportunity, it’s freedom. Because their future shouldn’t be decided by district, but by you. Tell the Senate, ‘pass House Bill 199.’”
The legislation passed the Wyoming House at the end of last month in a 39-21 vote, and has been sitting in the Senate after it was received for introduction on January 30.
The Wyoming Senate is dominated by Republicans, who have a 29-2 majority. Club for Growth is looking to target 15 senators with phone calls to urge them to support the legislation.
There will also be print ads backing the proposal featured in the Saturday editions of the Casper Star-Tribune and the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
The current version of the legislation, introduced by Republican Rep. Ocean Andrew, would allow anyone of any income to apply for the $7,000 scholarship, and doesn’t require statewide testing for scholarship recipients. The scholarships would be available on a first come, first served basis depending on how much funding is made available by the legislature. The expected cost per year is around $44 million.
Schools that accept scholarship students would have to ensure that they provide “instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, civics, including studies of the United States constitution and the constitution of the state of Wyoming, history, literature and science,” according to the text of the bill.
The bill removes restrictions on eligibility that were put in place last year by Governor Mark Gordon after the legislature passed a more limited school choice proposal.
A majority of voters in Wyoming support the proposal, according to a recent poll conducted by WPA Intelligence. Overall, 51% of voters support the bill, with 54% of Republicans and 56% of unaffiliated voters in support. A strong majority (68%) of Democrats oppose the legislation.
Earlier this year, the Club for Growth backed a successful effort in Tennessee to pass school choice legislation and the organization has also helped back primary challenges to Republican school choice opponents in both Texas and Tennessee.
Promoting school choice has been a top priority for President Donald Trump as he seeks to bring dramatic reforms to the Department of Education. Last month, Trump hosted a roundtable with Republican governors to discuss legislative efforts to promote school choice.
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