re: Somebody please explain Landry's "school choice" plan to me like I'm 5.

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Better to give that money to parents than be wasted by the bureaucracy of Louisiana.

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The parents aren’t getting the money, private entities are the recipients of the funds.

High-quality schools may choose to raise their fees to match the state tuition supplementation, attracting parents who seek to avoid their children interacting with specific demographics in public schools. In Louisiana, many families opt for private schooling for this reason, prioritizing controlled social environments for their children.

Furthermore, entrepreneurs seeking opportunities may create private schools primarily for the purpose of accessing government funding, enrolling students from lower-income backgrounds. In cases of misconduct, these schools may expel students while retaining the allocated funds, mirroring the practices of charter schools. Some less informed parents may perceive private schools as superior simply because they are private, much like the perception of charter schools being superior to public schools in some circles.

In the end, taxpayers incur higher costs with little real gain. Parents might be misled into thinking they are getting something substantial, but the educational outcomes continue to mirror economic disparities, shaping students' success based on their economic and demographic circumstances. This bill isn’t going to change this reality.