FRANKFORT, Ky. — Advocates for private schools and charter schools will be watching a few pieces of legislation in the final weeks of session that would expand access to options other than public schools.

House Bill 9 creates a funding source for charter schools, which are public schools that operate outside of the traditional state education system and are run by independent groups.  

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Chad McCoy (R-Bardstown), said we could see that in committee as early as Thursday.

“In 2017, Bam (Carney, former House Majority Floor Leader) worked his rear end off to get us charter schools,” he said. “We put all these protections in place, and we don’t have any. Why? Because we’ve never offered a funding model for them, but parents are desperate for something different, and this is a good opportunity to do something different.”

Supporters of public education have pushed back on funding charter schools.  

Kentucky Education Association President Eddie Campbell said it’ll lead to less money for the existing system.

“If we want our public schools, which services 90% of the students in Kentucky, to meet the needs of our students, why aren’t we providing our full funding?” he said. “Why aren’t we making sure that our public schools have the opportunity and the flexibility to be innovative in meeting the needs of the students?”

McCoy said charter schools haven’t hurt the public school systems in any of the other states that have them.

“When we get into this, there’s always a lot of fear,” he said. “There’s fear with change. But if we’re not going to give parents choice, especially after what we’ve seen with COVID, what are we doing here?”

Advocates for school choice are also looking to expand Education Opportunity Accounts, which are programs funded by tax-deductible donations that help families pay for private school tuition and other expenses.  

Two bills, Senate Bill 50 and House Bill 305, have been introduced that would expand them to the entire state and increase who is eligible to receive money.

Andrew VanDiver with the lobbying group EdChoice Kentucky said wealthy parents already have options for their kids’ education.

“But people that lack choice are low-income families, and a lot of middle-income families that may have some resources but not enough to afford an option without taking on significant debt,” he said.

The original program hasn’t gotten off the ground yet because of a legal challenge that’s now pending in front of the Kentucky Supreme Court.

“We’re confident that legal precedent is on our side, and sooner rather than later, we’re going to be able to open this program up to parents,” he said.

Opponents of the measure, including Campbell, say it will divert money that could be used on making the public education system better.

Neither of the education opportunity account bills have been scheduled for a committee vote, but VanDiver noted the original program passed even later in last year’s session, so he’s hopeful they’ll be taken up soon.