Martin F. Lueken

Dec 9, 2024 | dailyherald.com | Martin F. Lueken |Ann Miller

Ann Marie Miller Martin Lueken In December 2023, the Illinois state legislature allowed the Invest in Kids program to sunset, marking a heartbreaking blow to families like the Valdivias, who relied on it for their children’s future. Jerry Valdivia Sr. knows firsthand the impact of these scholarships. After a fire claimed his wife and left his two children with severe burns, Jerry Valdivia Sr.’s son, Jerry Jr., struggled in public school.

Oct 13, 2024 | wsj.com | Martin F. Lueken

School choice has emerged as a defining political issue this year. In states such as Texas and Tennessee, opponents argue that such programs will destroy public-school funding and worsen educational outcomes. These claims don’t hold up. Decades of data show that these programs generate substantial fiscal benefits for taxpayers.

May 2, 2024 | nepc.colorado.edu | Think Tank |Martin F. Lueken

Widespread reporting across multiple states has confirmed a pattern established by researchers of school voucher schemes: that new voucher programs subsidize a large number of students already in private schools. Most initial voucher users were already in private school or had otherwise not been enrolled in a public district.

Mar 19, 2024 | nepc.colorado.edu | Think Tank |Martin F. Lueken

Reason Foundation and EdChoice’s Fiscal Research and Education Center offer a calculator as a tool to assist state policymakers and choice advocates in providing more accurate estimates of the expenses of adopting publicly financed private-school choice (i.e., voucher) programs.

Feb 28, 2024 | spiritofjefferson.com | Martin F. Lueken |Amanda Kieffer

On March 1, the Hope Scholarship will open applications for the 2024–2025 school year, kicking off a new year-round application process recently announced by the West Virginia Treasurer’s Office. While the announcement is welcome news to many families, it drew criticism from opponents of school choice who claim that the Hope Scholarship program is draining funds from West Virginia’s K–12 public schools.